 
## **CONTENTS**

Series

Copyright

To the Reader

Author's Note

Title Page

Preface

Chapter One - The Inkling

Wednesday, July 25

Wednesday, August 1

Wednesday, August 8

Wednesday, August 15

Wednesday, August 22

Wednesday, August 29

Chapter Two - The Enlightenment

Wednesday, September 5

Wednesday, September 12

Wednesday, September 26

Wednesday, October 3

Chapter Three - The Calling

Wednesday, October 10

Saturday, October 13

Wednesday, October 17

Wednesday, October 24

Thursday, October 25

Friday, October 26

Wednesday, October 31

Chapter Four - The Plan

Friday, November 2

Monday, November 5

Wednesday, November 7

Friday, November 9

Saturday, November 10

Sunday, November 11

Monday, November 12

Tuesday, November 13

Chapter Five - Showtime

Wednesday, November 14

Thursday, November 15

Friday, November 16

Saturday, November 17

Sunday, November 18

Monday, November 19

Tuesday, November 20

Wednesday, November 21

Chapter Six - Quagmire

Thanksgiving, November 22

Friday, November 23

Saturday, November 24

Sunday, November 25

Monday, November 26

Tuesday, November 27

Wednesday, November 28

Chapter Seven - Progress

Friday, December 14

Monday, December 17

Thursday, December 20

Christmas Eve, December 24

Friday, January 4

Saturday, January 5

Sunday, January 6

Monday, January 7

Tuesday, January 8

Saturday, January 12

Chapter Eight - Direction

Tuesday, January 22

Monday, February 4

Tuesday, February 5

Friday, February 8

Tuesday, February 12

Wednesday, February 13

Thursday, February 14

Chapter Nine - Invasion

Friday, February 15

Saturday, February 16

Monday, February 18

Wednesday, February 20

Thursday, February 21

Friday, February 22

Saturday, February 23

Sunday, February 24

Monday, February 25

Chapter Ten - Epilogue

Thursday, March 21, 7:00 PM

About the Author
**Adriel Chevalier Book Series**

****

****

False Antichrist - 2016

The Gold of Ophir - 2018

Noah's Portal - 2019

Zanzibar - 2020

The Precinct Murders - 2020

Copyright © 2016 Adriel Jacques Chevalier

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 9781370156023

**To the Reader**

In retrospect, I want to offer an apology. My wife, Evelyn, prompted me to write this book. I had kept a journal of events, and I published them in this volume as they appeared. The first half of the book chronicles events that are necessary to understand what transpired later. Due to the bland aspect of reality, the excitement didn't begin until the last half of the novel.

The second book in the series, _The Gold of Ophir_ , was actually planned as a publication and has a more engaging aspect for the reader from the start. My encouragement is to bear with me for the first half of this novel because I believe that you will find it worthwhile.
**Author's Note**

****

This work of fiction is based on over forty years of research and personal experience, and although the characters and plot are fictional, much of what is contained has more foundation in reality than one might comfortably believe. One thing that I have found for sure is that there is no such thing as the supernatural. Such a concept is merely the limit that we put upon our own understanding and unwillingness to look beyond the walls of our mundane lives. As John Heywood is attributed to writing in 1546, "There are none so blind as those who will not see."

FALSE ANTICHRIST

Adriel Jacques Chevalier
**Preface**

We have heard and read the warnings of false christs, but a grave danger lurks that isn't so obvious, and that is the fact that there are false antichrists. So many theories and speculations have been rendered concerning biblical prophecies and expected events. However, I have yet to find any useful information that truly illuminates the actual intentions of the warnings that we have received. Hopefully, one will find some concepts to ponder in the following pages that offer some insight concerning the current state of affairs and the fact that what is expected to happen already has.

## **CHAPTER ONE**

### **_The Inkling_**
In retrospect, I think what amazed me the most was the fact that publicized world events, such as terrorist attacks and mass shootings, were nothing more than a distraction from what the real world threat is. It is much like a magician who gets the audience to look elsewhere while he works his illusion. Even the supernatural aspects of my experience seemed less difficult to accept than the world deception that now exists, of which no one seems to be aware. Whether these distractions were orchestrated by the perpetrators of this deception is of little importance. The fact remains that they are taking full advantage of the situation to execute their plan with little or no detection by the world populace. It's intriguing how people can easily be led down a dead end path by appearing to conceal some deep secret. Take Area 51 for example. It isn't difficult to spark a nucleus of investigative civilians in the desire to uncover a government plot, if you disclose just enough fabricated evidence and make it look like a major government cover-up. Conversely, it's also easy to get the general public to dismiss an issue if it seems far too difficult to believe. It all depends on how you spin it within the news media, which happens to be a convenient and effective means to control the nation's attention.

In order for me to properly explain all of this and what really lies beneath the surface, I need to take you back to the beginning. There is much to discuss about how all of this transpired, and there are several points that you need to understand in order to truly appreciate what happened. The events that led me into this dilemma were extremely confusing to me at first, but as time passed, I was able to make sense out of what and why it all needed to be. Hopefully, the story that I have to tell will enable you to connect the dots and gain a real understanding of what we need to entertain.

If there's one thing that I learned from all of this, it is the fact that there is no such thing as the supernatural. Scientists have struggled with inexplicable phenomena that have been impossible to ignore. Hundreds of years ago there was the dichotomy of nature versus grace. Events fell into two categories, the physical and the spiritual. However, our feeble comprehension of science has darkened our understanding of the characteristics of our universe, and we shun what we can't understand. Keys are available to unlock the mysteries to the science and the fact that there are feasible answers to all phenomena, if we are willing to forsake our preconceived notions and teachings and diligently seek for Truth.

Eddie and I had been meeting for over twenty years. We had learned a lot in that time, or so we thought. One of our methods was to try to prove ourselves wrong. We debated and searched to test our premises, because we found that by being proven wrong, we would draw nearer to what was true. Not being able to prove oneself wrong did not mean that there was no error, but it provided all the more impetus to continue a diligent search. If you can imagine a mother desperately searching for her lost child in a department store, then you can begin to understand the driving force that we felt for our quest.

It had been our custom to meet every Wednesday night at a restaurant. Although we had shifted from place to place over the years, we settled on a small sushi restaurant on the westside of town that was not far from my house. Eddie would stop by the restaurant on his way home from work. Wednesday was the only day that he went into the office, and I worked from home, so this was a convenient time and place. We had gotten acquainted with the manager, Noriko, who was often our server. She let us seat ourselves at our favorite table in the corner by the front door whenever we arrived. She always kept watch for us around 6:00 PM every Wednesday and was very attentive.

The restaurant had an authentic appeal, and were it not for English being spoken, one could imagine being in a little sushi bar in Tokyo. I enjoyed the sunken dining area that was three steps lower than the front door. The tables and booths were strategically located to offer a considerable amount of privacy and provide a more intimate dining experience. The lighting was fairly dim and oriental candles supplied slightly more light at the tables. I enjoyed practicing with the chop sticks, but Eddie wasn't as adventuresome in that regard. He always requested a fork.

The restaurant made a great atmosphere for our meetings. Eddie and I hadn't really discovered any new revelations during our discussions in the past several months, and we were thinking that maybe we had found the end of the road to our understanding of Truth. However, things quickly took a turn for me one week, and I was confused as to how this could be. I think the best way to disclose all of this is to reiterate excerpts of our conversations pertaining to the subject.

Wednesday, July 25, 6:15 PM

"Hey, Adriel! There you are. You're seldom late." Eddie was sipping his diet cola nonchalantly and attending to his cell phone.

I slid into the other side of the booth. "Sorry I'm late, Eddie. I wanted to make sure that I had dinner ready for Evelyn before I left. I always have a nice dinner waiting on her when she gets home from work, and I know she's really tired today, so I thought it would be nice to cook tonight for her as well, since I'm gone on Wednesday evenings."

"No problem, Adriel, I'm just catching up on email. I've already ordered, but take your time. Noriko is on her way over to take your drink order."

"I already know what I want. Hi, Noriko! How have you been? I'll have the soup, salad, and nigiri salmon, and I would also like my usual beer. Thank you!"

Eddie normally ordered the same thing each week, but tonight he decided on having just the shrimp fried rice. He placed his cell phone on the table and settled back in his seat, running his fingers through his thick, dark, wavy hair.

"So, Adriel, you mentioned something in your text on Monday about a strange weekend. Did you go to Evelyn's office party on Saturday that you were dreading?"

"Unfortunately, I did. It was at the Marriott. Nice spread and a great bar. It was a good time, really, but you know how I hate those things."

Eddie smiled. "Yeah, since you've been working from home the past few years, you've become somewhat of a recluse."

"That's for sure! Going to the grocery once a week is a challenging adventure. I sometimes have panic attacks before I ever get to the produce section."

"You've always been a wimp, Adriel."

"I know."

"Oh, I'm just kidding. So, what was so weird this week? I mean when you say something is weird, by my standards it has to be super weird."

"Well, it's hard to explain. There was this situation on Saturday. It was extremely awkward, and I was afraid that her husband was going to have a severe reaction, but I couldn't help myself."

"Oh my god! What did you do?"

"I was at Evelyn's office party when she introduced me to one of her coworkers, Vincent, and his wife, Jane. Oddly, I knew this woman even though we had never met before. I couldn't help but tell Jane that her favorite color was yellow and her two favorite sounds were birds singing and children's laughter.  She and Vincent were shocked, because she had just mentioned her two favorite sounds to him a few days earlier. Vincent asked if we knew each other, and Jane assured him that we had never met. He looked very suspicious and asked how I knew these things. Well, I didn't really have an answer and flippantly said that I was clairvoyant. I'm still dumbfounded as to how I knew those things, but I knew that I knew them. It's kind of like one of those déjà vu moments, but very succinct."

Eddie leaned forward intently. "Wait a minute, Adriel. You did what?! What in the world made you say something so forward, you, the nearly recluse hermit?"

"I don't know. It was like running into an old friend, but we had never met before."

"Well, there has to be some explanation." Eddie settled back and stroked his chin in thought. "Maybe you were in a department store at the same time as she was, and you overheard a conversation."

"Not likely, Vincent had transferred here from Philadelphia, and Jane stayed there to finalize their moving arrangements. She had just gotten to town two days earlier, and I haven't been out of the house since then. I'm telling you, it's one of the strangest experiences I have had in a very long time."

Eddie and I paused as Noriko brought our orders. She refilled Eddie's diet cola, and I ordered another beer. As soon as Noriko retreated, Eddie continued, "So, did Evelyn have anything to say about this?"

"She was dumfounded too. She knew there was no earthly way that I knew her coworker's wife. Actually, I didn't tell all that I knew about Jane, because it would have taken hours. I know all about her personality, what irks her, what makes her laugh, and her favorite pastimes."

"Now how could you know all of that? You're starting to sound crazy. Besides, you don't know that you know all of those things without confirmation."

"I'm telling you, Eddie, I do know these things. I just don't know how."

"Who knows? Maybe you are clairvoyant."

"Well, if I were clairvoyant, wouldn't I know more about other people? Why just this woman? It's puzzling."

"It would be interesting to see if you really do know all of that stuff about her. However, I wouldn't recommend an interview with her. That could get ugly and scary."

"How true, but I already know without having to confirm it. It's impossible to explain. Remember when we met thirty years ago, Eddie? There was some connection that we had that drew us together in a friendship that seemed illogical. We have very little in common. We don't have the same interests or tastes. We grew up in very different environments. The one thing we do have in common is a philosophy of Truth and existentialism that we could not have known about each other back then."

Eddie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we were kind of drawn to one another. I remember that. So, did you talk to this woman again later in the evening?"

"No, it appeared that her husband had her on a tight leash and kept her back to me. I think he was watching me."

Eddie shook his hands by his ears. "Well, of course he was, you big weirdo! I'd be watching you too, if I were him. So, were you staring at her like some stalker?"

"No, of course not! I just noticed him throughout the evening watching me."

"You'll probably get a restraining order served on you now." Eddie was starting to chuckle as he gathered more fried rice on his fork.

"I seriously hope not, but something is happening to me, and I need to understand what it is. I'm thinking of seeing a hypnotist."

Eddie dropped his fork and nearly jumped out of his seat. "A hypnotist?! Seriously?! Why don't you just find some Gypsy medium to tell you what's going on inside your brain with her crystal ball? You need to slow down on the beer, buddy."

"I know it sounds crazy, but I'm grabbing at straws here. Maybe a hypnotic session will shed some light on what's happening. I don't know. I've never been hypnotized."

"Aren't you concerned that they'll take incriminating videos of you running around in your underwear, clucking like a chicken and post them on You Tube?"

"Very funny!  These are professional people with a craft."

"Oh ho! Now you've really lost it. I've got to hear every detail. When do you plan to do this?"

"I'm going to call tomorrow to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Oh my god! Don't shake your head like that. You're such a skeptic and a naysayer, Eddie."

"Skeptic? Yes! Naysayer? Never! I really hope you do get some answers, but I'm willing to bet good money that hypnosis isn't the right path."

"OK, you may be right, but do you have any better suggestions?"

"A licensed psychiatrist might not be a bad start." Eddie started to chuckle again.

"Oh, you're a real comedian tonight. So, you think I'm crazy?"

"They don't use that term anymore, Adriel. I think it's either 'psychotic' or maybe 'loony,' but I'm not sure."

"Well, you know I've never been well hinged, so I figure it's going to be a learning experience one way or another."

"Oh, I have no doubt that it will be a learning experience. So, you're saying this is the only person that you have had precognitive knowledge about? Haha! Precognitive knowledge! That's definitely a redundancy!" Eddie often amused himself.

"I think so. I can't remember ever having such a clear knowledge of someone without knowing them extremely well."

"Hey, maybe you two knew each other in a past life."

"Now you're just being facetious. Neither of us believes in reincarnation. It's so strange. It's like having a memory of something that never happened, but it's all true."

Eddie raised his bushy eyebrows and looked over the top of his glasses. "Well, you think it's all true. You haven't confirmed it yet. It may just be one of those strange quirks in life that never happens again. Hey, wait a minute! Do you find this woman particularly attractive?"

"Jane is a very attractive woman, but that has nothing to do with it. I'm not interested in her. I just know her somehow."

"And you're sure you didn't know her decades ago but just forgot?"

"Absolutely not, she's never been here before they moved this past week, and I've never been to Philly. Believe me, I've tried to analyze this from as many perspectives as I can, and I'm not coming up with any explanations. I was hoping you'd think of something that I missed."

Eddie now had on his analytical face. He set his fork on the table and leaned back in the booth. "OK, let's start from the beginning. At the time you met this woman, how many drinks had you consumed?"

"Well, you know that I hate these events, so I had a couple of vodka and tonics before we left the house. I let Evelyn drive."

"Did it upset Evelyn when you had some drinks and made her drive?"

"I didn't make her drive. She volunteered. I think she would rather have me imbibe than to freak out when I walk into a crowded room of people that I don't know."

"All right, how many drinks did you have at the party before you met this woman?"

"Let's see. I was on my second glass of red wine when Evelyn introduced me."

"OK, so, you were on your fourth drink."

"Well, that was my fourth drink in about two hours."

Eddie waved his hands in dismissal of my statement. "Just the same, you were on your fourth drink when you met this woman. At least you were at the party long enough to consume one drink and order another. You probably overheard a conversation between her and someone else while you were there and just subconsciously recalled it in your inebriated state."

"I wasn't inebriated! I certainly don't recall overhearing anything, and if she had discussed her favorite color and favorite sounds during the evening prior to meeting me, don't you think she'd recall that and realize that I just overheard a conversation? Besides, what kind of party talk is telling someone your favorite color and sounds? It still doesn't make sense."

"Maybe, but neither does it make sense that you knew those things about her without prior knowledge. There has to be an explanation, Adriel."

"I know I'm not telling this accurately. It's really hard to explain. It's not like those were the only two things I knew. In fact, when I looked into Jane's eyes, it was like seeing an old friend again. I recognized her. It wasn't like overhearing a conversation. I actually know her."

"Maybe you're delusional. Are you sure this really happened?"

"Do you want to ask Evelyn? She was there, and she's incredulous as well, but she can't deny what she saw and heard."

"I don't get along well with your wife; you know that. I'm not asking her anything. Besides she blames me for your paradigm shifts over the past several years, and quite frankly, you came up with those pretty much on your own. I can just hear her now, 'Oh, that damned Eddie. You've never been the same since you met him.'"

"Good Lord, Eddie! She never says anything like that. You're exaggerating and fabricating. That's nonsense! At any rate, I've always felt that I had a screw loose somewhere. I know that there was mental illness in my family on my father's side, but crazy doesn't explain how I could know something that wasn't previously disclosed to me."

"You're quirky, for sure, but crazy, I doubt. The fact is you had to have the information disclosed to you somehow. We just haven't figured out how yet. Let's give this some time. If it never happens again, we'll chalk it up as an inexplicable anomaly and move on."

"That's good advice, but I still plan to see the hypnotist. What if they do uncover something in my subconscious? I've been reading about hypnotism, and how it can unlock things from the subconscious mind that you couldn't normally recall."

"I've read some of that stuff too, Adriel, about people recalling past lives and things from their childhood. It all sounds a little hokey to me."

"I know. I can't believe I'm considering it, but I'm all out of ideas, especially after we have discussed this. I thought maybe there would be something that I hadn't thought of that would make some sense."

Eddie pushed his plate aside and readjusted in his seat. "OK, let's try this. You say that you know all about this woman, but you can't recall ever meeting her before. Why don't you tell me everything you know about her, and maybe during the course of the conversation you'll remember where you learned these things?"

"Sounds reasonable. There certainly isn't anyone else I can discuss this with. I'm sure Evelyn would be furious if I told her all that I knew about her coworker's wife."

"That's for sure! By the way, does she know that you are talking to me about this tonight?"

"Oh, absolutely! She hopes that maybe you can help me figure this out."

"Really? She normally doesn't want you around me. She must really be upset."

"Well, I'd say more curious than upset. At any rate, she would certainly like some answers, and so would I."

"All right, start from the beginning about your mystery woman."

"She's not a mystery, Eddie! Jane is an old friend. Oh, don't roll your eyes like that! You know I hate it when you don't take me seriously."

"Sorry," Eddie shook his head. "I'll do my best, but I can't guarantee anything."

"Please, just listen and let me know if you detect anything that I might be missing. One of the interesting things that I find about her is the dichotomy of her caring for others and having great compassion, but whenever she sees someone's feet fly out from under him on the ice, and he lands on his keister, she breaks into hysterical laughter."

"Whoa, hold the phone! How in the world could you know something like that? You would have to see her observing others on icy terrain. It sounds like a winter encounter to me. How could you know she's compassionate? What did she ever do that proved that?"

"She used to be terribly saddened by other people's suffering. She used to want to be able to help them, but she felt powerless."

"So, you've not only observed her, you have had conversations with her."

"I must have, but I don't recall where. I remember that she wanted to be a nurse so that she could help others who were suffering."

Eddie smacked the table top with his right palm. "There you go! You had to have known her early in her life. Are you sure she has never been here when she was younger?"

"She claimed that she had never been here before, and she lived her whole life in Philly."

"Maybe you met her when you were traveling a long time ago, Adriel. It could be New York, or D. C., or anywhere that you've been in the past."

"I certainly don't recall such a thing, and you'd think that I would remember something as significant as that about a conversation that I had with someone. The strange thing is that I know we were close friends at one point."

Eddie threw up his hands. "Well, this makes no sense. I don't see how you could be close friends with someone that you can't recall ever meeting. I'm afraid that we're getting nowhere with this."

"Unfortunately, I think you're right. I mean, I could go on and on about her, but it wouldn't make any more sense than what I just told you."

Eddie took one more stab at it. "Do you recall ever making plans with this woman at any point?"

"You know that does sound familiar, but I can't recall anything in particular. I can vaguely remember something about meeting somewhere for some reason, but I don't know where, when, or why."

"Well, I'm at the point where I'm ready to chalk up your precognitive experience to a very vivid, coincidental dream. It may be a billion to one shot, but it's not impossible."

"I suppose you're right, Eddie, but it doesn't feel that way. I'm beginning to think I won't figure this out, and I'll just have to let it go as one of those strange, inexplicable experiences in life. That's why I decided to at least try the hypnosis thing. I mean, if it turns anything up like a lead or something, then maybe I'll get some direction with this. OK, you're smirking again. I get it, but I have to try something."

"Well, Adriel, on a lighter note, did you ever finish that oil painting that you've been telling me about?

"Oh, yes I did! I totally forgot. I have it out in the car. I brought it along tonight to show you. You can stop by my car on our way out."

"So, this was a portrait of someone, right?"

"Yeah, I have painted so many landscapes and still life pictures. Last year, my daughter recommended that I paint the Last Supper. It took a while to find a rendition that I considered acceptable. I took a bit of license with it to modify a few things, but it didn't turn out half bad. That's when I decided to find a model and try my hand at a portrait."

"Who was the model?"

"I don't know her. I found a photograph on the Internet. I was looking for a face of innocence, and I found an intriguing photograph of some young woman that had some interesting shadows. I enhanced the shadows and added some light to her blue eyes. It turned out really well."

"I'm anxious to see it. How many paintings do you have now?"

"Oh my! I haven't counted them, but I'd estimate around thirty. Some I painted for my children, and they have them hanging in their homes. I have five or six on display at my house, but most of them are stacked in my studio. I really should hang some more of them. About ten of them need to be finished. Sometimes I get sidetracked to other paintings and never make it back to them."

"How large is this portrait?"

"It's just eleven by fourteen inches, not very big."

"How long did it take you to paint it?"

"Well, I paint in layers, especially skin tones. They take several layers of translucency to create depth. So, with drying time in between, I would say it took about six weeks."

"How much actual painting time though?

"Whew! That's hard to estimate, but I'd say around twenty-four hours."

"That sounds like a considerable amount of time."

"Are you kidding? That was one of my shorter times. Some of my paintings took upwards of 168 hours, I'm sure."

"Sounds like a full time job."

"Sometimes if feels like it, especially when I'm painting a request."

"Are you going to hang this one somewhere?"

"I'll hang it in my studio. It's really just for me. I'm sure Evelyn doesn't want a portrait of some strange woman on our wall."

"Why didn't you paint someone in your family?"

"That's my next goal! I wanted to try my hand at a stranger to get some experience before I attempted someone I know."

"That sounds reasonable. Let's go take a look at your painting."

"All right, as soon as we settle our checks."

I made sure that I didn't return to the subject of my consternation. Eddie would just shut me down at this point. After we paid our bill, we strolled out to my car so that Eddie could see my painting.
Wednesday, August 1, 5:45 PM

I arrived a little early this time. I enjoyed watching the sushi chefs at the bar. It provided entertainment while I sipped a beer and waited for Eddie to arrive. Noriko noticed me at our table and promptly grabbed some menus and headed my way.

"Hi, Noriko! I'll have a beer while I'm waiting. Eddie should be here soon."

I had some time to gather my thoughts and contemplate my situation. Eddie was going to want to know all about the hypnotist experience, and I didn't have much to tell. After he arrived, I let him converse with Noriko, and then we ordered our dinner.

Eddie stretched and sat back in the booth. "So, I didn't hear from you this week, Adriel. Did you schedule an appointment with the hypnotist?" I squirmed a bit. "Oh, come on! You don't want to tell me. Look at you!"

"OK, OK, you were right, Eddie. It was a stupid idea."

"I want to see the clucking chicken video."

"There is none, at least that I know about. It was a thirty minute session. She started with some soothing music and soft talking."

"Did she swing a gold watch on a chain in front of your face?" Eddie was trying to contain his annoying giggle.

"No, silly, that's just in the movies! She had me lie down on a recliner and then lit some incense."

"Oh, oh! Are you sure she was a hypnotist, Adriel? Sounds a little nefarious to me."

"No, no, she was just creating the ambience for hypnosis. She told me to relax and let my mind go free of any encumbrances that might prevent the flow of my subconscious. She talked in a very soothing tone and had me concentrate on relaxing my limbs and my back. Then she talked me through a relaxation technique that virtually put me to sleep."

"Hypnotic trance?"

"About as hypnotic as when I go to bed at night. A long story made short, I fell asleep and snored loudly for twenty-five minutes, according to her. It was the most expensive nap I've ever had."

"Ha! I knew it!" Eddie pointed at me and turned sideways in the booth. "What's your next step?"

"Funny you should ask. I got to thinking about some manager that I worked with over twenty years ago when I used to go into the office. Thank God those days are over. He would close his office door, throw a pillow on the floor and lie down to meditate for an hour. Actually, I always thought it was just his way to take a nap. Anyway, I thought maybe meditation would bring some answers."

"Have you tried it? Any answers?"

"Geez, Eddie! Don't look so smug. I actually had an incredible experience, but didn't get any answers about my situation. You have to hear this. I have been trying this for four days. I lie down and clear my head. Sometimes I do fall asleep, but with my annoying sleep problems that's a plus. Anyway, there are these times where I'm awake, but I'm also dreaming very vividly. I see things in such great detail. In fact, it's like looking at things with a magnifying glass."

"What things do you see?" Eddie took a sip from his diet cola.

"I don't always know. I have never seen them before. Here's the interesting part. Yesterday morning after Evelyn left for work, I took some time to meditate. Once again, I saw an object. It approached me and came right up to my face. I say 'face,' but really there is no such thing in that realm. It was right in front of me. It looked metallic with some strange markings. It was fascinating to see such detail. Well, that evening Evelyn came home from work, and while we were eating dinner, she described something that she found during a walk that she took with a friend during a work break. She went and got it out of her purse, and it was the exact same object that I had seen in my meditation."

"What was it?"

"I don't know, Eddie. It looked like some sort of machine part."

"OK, so, you do relaxation techniques and see objects. What are you trying to accomplish?"

"Well, I see more than objects. I see certain sequences with people I have never met. I see interactions between people. Some are delightful, and some are disturbing. I don't know. I can't quantify my experience, because it isn't something that you can measure. I'm groping in the dark here. Sometimes I feel as though I hit a brick wall, then later I think of something I haven't tried."

"Like what?"

"Well, sometimes I try to clear my mind, and others I try to concentrate on one single thought. This is all new to me, so I'm experimenting."

Noriko showed up with Eddie's spring rolls and salad, and my nigiri sushi. As usual, I ordered another beer.

Eddie continued, "Have you had any out of body experiences yet?"

"Ha! No, not yet! I think it would freak me out if I got outside my body. I've read about such things, but never really experienced anything like that. I did have another somewhat strange experience, but it's hard to tell if I'm dreaming or really experiencing something tied to reality."

"So, what was the strange experience? Did Houdini try to contact you?"

"Haha! No, I don't think so, but I did seem to hear a faint whisper as though someone were trying to talk to me."

"I knew it! It was Houdini! He was supposed to contact his wife after his death and never showed. Maybe he was detained and couldn't make it until now when someone else was listening."

"OK, Eddie, you're being facetious again. I'm not sure what I heard, but it did sound like a voice."

"What did it say?"

"I couldn't make it out."

"Well, of course you couldn't, Adriel! You've been hard of hearing almost all of your life. They're going to have to shout if they want to contact you. In fact, your neighbors will hear them before you do." Eddie gave a hearty belly laugh.

"Oh, you are such a riot, Eddie. It's not the kind of hearing that you do with your ears. It's in my head or something."

"It might be all of those rocks bumping into one another. First, you take an expensive nap at the hypnotist's office, and then you start meditating, not knowing if you're awake or not. Why don't you try chanting? That seems to work for some of the Easterners."

"Don't be ridiculous! I'm just trying to look for some answers as to why I would know personal things about someone whom I had never met."

"So, no more strange interactions with people this past week?"

"No, but I seldom get out of the house, so I don't see that many people. It's usually the cashier at the grocery, or some other obscure person that I might run into."

"Yeah, some obscure person, like a bartender."

"Hey, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Sure, I stop in the bar sometimes, and I have gotten acquainted with some of the bartenders, but I have never had an experience with them like I had at Evelyn's office party."

"You drink a bit, Adriel. That's for sure, and you have a shady family history. I'll have to admit, you're not the kind of person whose testimony I would be apt to believe."

"What are you saying? You do think I'm crazy!"

"It all sounds too strange to me, and given your lifestyle and background, I'm just saying that if I weren't your friend and didn't know you so well, there's no way I would believe you."

"Look, Eddie! I have no one else to turn to. There's no way I could explain this to anyone. It's hard enough to try to explain it to you. I need some level of confidence here, because I'm beginning to doubt myself."

"Calm down, Adriel. Stop raising your voice. People are starting to look around. I know you're frustrated, but maybe you just need to let it be. Stop trying to answer a question that seems impossible to answer at this point. You're driving yourself crazy with this, and what's the point? So, you had a strange experience. So what? If you're supposed to learn anything from this, then I think you will, but not by being hypnotized or talking to Houdini."

"I wasn't talking to Houdini!"

"You get what I'm saying. I just feel like you might be wasting your time, and life's too short to go chasing fairy tales."

"Oh, maybe you're right. I need to move on and forget about this. It has consumed my every thought throughout the day, and it has been hard to get my job done. Evelyn hasn't said anything, but I know it's beginning to disturb her. I can't seem to talk about anything else. If only for her sake alone, I need to stop being so obsessed."

"Now you're talking, Adriel. Let's get on with our lives and our discussions. Frankly, I feel like this incident has derailed us somehow. It's all we talk about, and I think sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees. Although I say that we should forget about it, I'd like to know to what purpose and benefit it is that you would know personal things about someone else's wife. It doesn't sound healthy to me, and if I were Evelyn, I would take an exception to it. You said that the woman was attractive."

"Yeah, she is, but that's of no interest to me. Evelyn is tired of hearing about it; that's for sure. I don't see any benefit in knowing personal things about someone else's wife, and I'm with you; it sounds a little creepy. Now I'm embarrassed that I said anything to her at that party. I should have kept my mouth shut, but it felt overwhelming."

"Did Evelyn say that the husband ever mentioned this to her at work since then?"

"No, I think it's uncomfortable for everyone. I doubt that it will ever be brought up."

"Well, for your sake I have been trying to research events like this. I haven't had much luck other than the obvious déjà vu, or clairvoyant experiences, nothing that we haven't seen before. I've even asked a few people at work without letting them know who you are. Still nothing."

"OK, I agree, Eddie. Let's change the subject and let this be. We're not getting anywhere, and I'm exhausted at this point."

"Yeah! Let's see if anything else happens, and if not, then we just forget about it."

I was somewhat relieved. I truly was tired of beating my head against a brick wall. I hate to have unanswered questions in my life, but it didn't appear that I had much of a choice. Have you ever been frustrated like that? It's unnerving, for sure, but life has a funny way of taking turns that you never intended to initiate. My life took a hard left turn that I certainly wasn't expecting.
Wednesday, August 8, 5:30 PM

I arrived half an hour early. I wanted to get a few beers in me before Eddie arrived. I was shaking like a leaf. I needed to calm down. I talked with Noriko for a few minutes after she brought my first beer. It was intriguing to hear about her life in Japan. She had been in the states for about two years, and I enjoyed her Japanese accent. There were times that I had to have her repeat what she said, but usually I understood her. She had arrived here with her parents, and through some contacts that they had, they decided to open this restaurant. The grand opening was what initially drew Eddie and me.

I was working on my third beer when Eddie arrived. He dropped his laptop bag into the booth and slid into the seat. He never left his computer in the car in the extreme cold or heat, and it was a humid, sweltering ninety two degrees tonight. "Well, Adriel, it looks like you started a little early tonight, huh?"

"Yeah, I did. I'm a nervous wreck."

"What happened to you this week? I never got a text message, so I assume it can't be that bad."

I leaned forward. "It's worse, Eddie. You won't get a message from me during the week if an event isn't monumental, and you won't get a text from me when an event is horrendous."

"Horrendous, by your standards? Uh oh, you're actually shaking. Did you know that?"

"Yeah, I know. I'm trying to get a hold of myself. I may have done something stupid."

"Well, Adriel, knowing you, that definitely isn't a first, and I'm fairly certain it's not a last."

"You remember that woman, Jane, that I knew so much about?"

"Are you kidding? She's all we talked about for over two weeks."

"Well, she called me Monday on our home phone."

"Say what?!" Eddie looked up from his menu in astonishment. "How did she get your number? You're unlisted."

"I asked her that. She said she got it from an on-call list from her husband's office that he keeps at home. There's an on-call rotation for the computer systems that Evelyn works on, and the members of the team need to be able to contact one another at all hours."

Eddie stopped as we both put in our dinner order, and then he returned to the conversation in a low voice. "What in the world did she want?"

"She wanted to meet with me. She asked if she could come over to the house, but I didn't want the neighbors seeing a strange woman coming in while my wife was at work."

"So, what did you do?"

"I suggested that we meet at a bar that I never go to, because I didn't want any of my regular bartenders to see me with some strange woman."

Eddie was flabbergasted. "You actually met with this woman?"

"I did, yesterday afternoon."

Eddie was still trying to keep his voice down. "Wait a minute! You don't think it's appropriate to have another woman come to your house with your wife gone, but you think it's OK to go have a drink with another man's wife at some obscure bar? You're a dumbass! So help me, Adriel, if you end up having an affair with this woman, we're through until you straighten up your act."

"I know, I know. I'm not going to have an affair. I just didn't know what to do. I thought a neutral area where neither of us knew anyone would be a good place to talk."

"Uh, no!" Eddie had his finger in my face at this point. "The thing that you should have done was decline meeting with her. Please tell me you're not going to see her again."

"I'm not going to see her again."

Eddie threw up his hands. "Why don't I believe you? What did she want to talk about?"

"She wanted to know how I knew those things about her. She said her husband was very upset and couldn't stop talking about it all night after they got home from the party."

"How stupid are you, Adriel? First, this woman wants to meet with you. Then she tells you that her husband is upset over you. She's intrigued by you, because you know things about her that most people who aren't intimate with her don't know. This spells trouble, my friend. You need to wake up and smell the coffee."

"I know. I feel really badly."

"You did tell Evelyn about this, right?"

"I couldn't. First of all, Jane wanted me to keep this just between her and me."

"Oh for god's sake! Now you two are keeping a secret from your spouses. You're not just a dumbass; you're pathetic!"

"If I tell Evelyn, she's going to be really upset and say something to Jane's husband, and then things will spin completely out of control. I can't do that."

"Well, you've opened a nasty can of worms, my friend. You shouldn't have accepted an invitation to meet with her. What were you thinking? If you knew you couldn't tell Evelyn, you never should have done it."

"I know, but I really haven't done anything wrong. I'm not going to meet with her again. We've already agreed to that. Believe me; she was just as apprehensive about meeting with me as I was with her."

"What was so important to her that she would risk her husband's trust?" Eddie shook his head in disgust.

"Something really started bothering her about what I had said. The statement about her two favorite sounds is what got her husband riled up, because she had just mentioned that to him for the first time the prior week. I had told something about her that he hadn't known until recently, and he was beside himself trying to understand how I could know those things if I had never met her."

"OK, she's bothered that her husband is upset. I can understand that, but why meet with you?"

"Well, that's not the particular point that bothered her. She was more concerned about her favorite color."

"Well, guessing her favorite color isn't nearly as astounding as guessing her favorite sounds."

"First of all, I wasn't guessing. I know. The interesting thing that intrigued her the most was that her favorite color is blue."

"Wow!" Eddie rolled his head. "Now you've really lost me. So, you guessed wrong."

"I didn't guess. Her favorite color since she was a little girl was always yellow. It was the only color of clothing that she wanted her mother to buy for her. It wasn't until her adult life that she decided to change her favorite color to blue. She said she thought it was because all she ever wore was yellow, and she wanted to make a change. The color yellow had been a big part of her childhood."

"I guess I don't see what is so monumental."

"She said that out of everything I could have said to her, those two statements were probably the most intimate statements about her that I could have related. That shows that I was right about knowing her. In fact, we talked for three hours, and I did confirm what I knew about her. She was amazed, and so was I to a degree. I actually do know these things about her. I didn't know anything about her life circumstances, just her, and who she is, and what she likes and dislikes, and what makes her happy."

"Oh boy! I think you're being suckered into a relationship that you're too stupid to see happening."

"I don't think so, and guess where she works, Eddie!"

"How should I know?"

"She's a nurse at St. Patrick's Hospital. Sound familiar?"

"Half the women in this town are nurses, and you think that's a sign?"

"That's not even true, Eddie, and you know it. I told you she wanted to be a nurse, and she is."

"This madness has to stop. Honestly, Adriel, please stop this."

"Don't worry. We agreed to never see one another again, especially because of our spouses, but she did have one request."

Eddie rolled his eyes. "Here it comes. Now what?"

"She wants me to meet her sister."

"Oh for god's sake! You must be joking. You're dumber than dumb. Please tell me you said, no."

"I promised I would. She gave me her number."

"I can't believe I'm going to offer this, but will you take me with you if you meet her?" Eddie paused and bit his lip. "No. I've changed my mind. I'm not going to babysit you. You just stay out of trouble, agreed?"

"Of course I agree."

"I suppose you're going to meet this lady in a bar too."

"I don't know. She's not married; I know that. I guess I'll pretty much leave it up to her."

"Damn it, Adriel! If Evelyn finds out about this, I know I'm going to get blamed somehow. It's not fair."

"I'll tell Evelyn at the right time. I have to know if this is going to lead somewhere in my understanding of what happened."

"So, why meet with her sister? What's so important about her?"

"Well, Jane said that she and her sister have a very special, close bond and have had as long as she can remember. She thinks that if I know her, somehow I might also know her sister. It's worth a shot. I don't have any better prospects."

"You know a few weeks ago when you told me about your incident, I really didn't think much about it, but now I feel like I'm getting sucked into this whole mess, and I'm afraid of where it will end. I don't want to get blamed for anything I didn't do, and I have been trying to talk you out of this the entire time. I think this whole thing is crazy, and that you are jeopardizing your marriage by pursuing this. You haven't been forthright with Evelyn, and you know she's going to explode when you tell her, and you definitely are going to tell her, right?"

"Sure I will, but at the right time. I need to finish my research first, because I don't want it to get derailed before I have some answers."

"Oh, now it's research. Is that how you rationalize this irrational behavior? Research?"

"It is research. You're too concerned about yourself to understand a possible opportunity that I have to get some answers."

"Who's concerned about himself? Are you listening to yourself? I have been trying to talk some sense into you, not because I'm concerned about myself, but because I'm concerned about you."

"Eddie, you're concerned that you're getting sucked into something that you really aren't. I'd like a little benefit of the doubt here. I'm not going to have an affair; that's not my intention."

Eddie raised his bushy eyebrows, looked over his glasses and leaned forward. "So said the kid who played with matches and burned the house down."

"I really thought you'd be a little more supportive of my opportunities and efforts here. You know how this has been disturbing me, and you really think I can walk away from an opportunity like this just because you're afraid that I don't have control of myself?"

"Honestly? Do you really think you have that much control of yourself? Please don't make me bring up the past."

"There you go again. I've learned a lot. Aren't we supposed to learn from our mistakes, or should we just cower in the corner because we screwed up years ago?"

"That all depends. You've been cooped up alone, working from home for a few years now, and your social skills aren't exactly honed to perfection. I have no idea what will happen, but why chance it?"

"I'm sorry, but I think once again, as we've done so many times in the past, we're just going to have to agree to disagree. I'll let you know what happens."

I was beyond frustration at this point. There were several times in the past years that I thought Eddie and I might end our relationship due to contentions and opinions that got pretty heated. I know that our friendship has limits. I was getting a little concerned that I had told him so much. Sometimes I think it might be best to keep some of this to myself, but I really needed a sounding board, and as much as he frustrates me sometimes, I have to admit that he does have the voice of reason.
Wednesday, August 15, 6:00 PM

I was in sort of a funk this week. Not much had progressed in my situation, and I was a little disappointed and beginning to think this whole incident had no real substance, but still I had been able to do something inexplicable. Strangely, I felt some sense of power that I had never felt before. I ordered my usual beer from Noriko and watched the sushi chefs perform their magic while I awaited Eddie's arrival.

Eddie breezed in the door and waved to Noriko. She headed over to take our order. Once he settled into the booth and Noriko was placing our order, Eddie started our conversation. "Hey! How's it going? Did you get to meet with that lady's sister this past week?"

"No, she's out of town. I talked to her briefly. She said next week would be a good time to get together."

"Does Evelyn know anything about this yet?"

"Not yet, but I'll tell her after I get some answers."

"Anything new this week?"

"Not really, I'm having some doubts about this whole thing. It's really hard to accept, and it if weren't for witnesses to what happened, I probably wouldn't believe it at this point. Something is strange though. I feel like I might have an unfair advantage over people with this whole thing of knowing about people without a known reason."

"What unfair advantage? Because you know things they don't know that you know?"

"Yeah, sort of. I mean if I were to have a job interview or something like that, and I knew things about the person I was interviewing with, I might use some of that knowledge for my benefit that others couldn't do. It seems kind of unfair."

"Well, Adriel, it's unlikely that you're going on any job interviews. You have it made where you are."

"I'm just afraid in some cosmic sense I may be jeopardizing myself. It's like my cousin who lives in Minnesota. He's very competitive. He found a 10K race that was scheduled a day after his sixty-fifth birthday. That made him the potentially youngest in his age class, so he registered for the race. He figured he had an advantage being one of the youngest, but he wanted to make sure. He ate a whole pound of refried beans the night before the race. On race day, he felt like he was about to explode, but he held it in. He kept track of his competition throughout the race by watching the racer's numbers that were color coded by age group. There was only one competitor about a yard ahead of him as they approached the finish line. He poured on the steam, but he wasn't able to catch up with the guy. About ten yards from the finish line, he let loose of all that gas, and it propelled him past his opponent and over the finish line to win his division. He was later disqualified for bean doping."

"Bean doping?"

"Yeah, he got disqualified for bean doping."

"Adriel, I watch a lot of sports, and I've never heard of such a thing. What the hell is bean doping?"

"Well, uh, he doped his digestive system with beans, which gave him gas, which gave him an unfair advantage."

"You're serious?"

"Yeah, you get my point, right?"

"You're making this up, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah, but you get my point, right?"

"Bean doping! Honestly, Adriel! That's the best analogy you can come up with to support your premise?"

"Well, on the spur of the moment, yes, but you get my point, right?"

"Oh, I get your point, all right, and a whole lot more. The question is, do you?"

"I don't follow."

"See, that's what scares me more than anything. You don't even have a cousin in Minnesota, do you?"

"No."

"That's what I thought, Adriel. You really are pathetic sometimes."

"But you get my point, right?"

"Your point is about as valid as your story."

"I'm just saying that if I have some sort of super power, I don't want to abuse it."

"Super powers? Have you been reading too many comic books lately? I'm not so sure that guessing a person's favorites is a super power."

"Once again, I wasn't guessing! I really know these things and a whole lot more."

"So you say. I think you're getting too self-centered lately. It's all about you and your new super power. Maybe you are delusional, I don't know."

"You're starting to sound a little jealous."

"Jealous?! Ha! Jealous of you, Adriel? You must be joking. I don't mean that as an insult, but really."

"Well, this phenomenal thing happened to me, and I'm on an adventure to find out what it is. When's the last time you had an adventure like that?"

"Oh, maybe last year when I canoed down the Amazon River in Brazil, or maybe the year before that when I got to hike on the Great Wall of China, or maybe the year before that when I climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. I don't know; take your pick. You seldom get out of the house. Maybe this is your way of having a safe adventure from within the confines of the walls of your own home."

"Touché! Maybe it is because my life is so small; I don't know. You know I don't like to fly anymore, and it's hard for me to drive great distances. Evelyn gets frustrated with me because I don't like to travel. I encourage her to fly out to see the kids whenever she wants or take vacations with her friends. I know I can be a real stick in the mud."

"Oh, stop feeling sorry for yourself!"

"I'm not! I'm feeling sorry for everyone around me, mostly my wife."

"That's ridiculous, Adriel! Maybe you have embellished this whole incident in your mind because you need some adventure. I don't know. You could do a whole lot worse; that's for sure. It kind of reminds me of that story you told me about when you were in the second or third grade, when you thought you had some kind of telekinetic power. You got into an argument with one of your classmates about which one of you stopped the rain outside one day. Then you mystically gave your power away to the neighbor girl across the street, whom you were secretly in love with. This is beginning to sound strangely like that story. All I know is what you tell me, and I know you'll say that I can ask Evelyn, and you know that I won't. I have to admit that there appears to be a lot of missing pieces to your story. I'll be glad when you're satisfied, and we can move on with our discussions. Right now, it seems that your one incident is all that we can talk about."

"You know, Eddie, to this day I still believe that I had that power."

"Yeah, that's another frightening aspect about you, Adriel!"

"Why do you even meet with me if I'm such a flake?"

"Well, as many idiosyncrasies that you may have, you've always been by far the most insightful person that I have ever met. You're an iconoclast, and as long as I've known you, you've never backed down from looking like a fool to stand for what you truly believe. You don't go along with the mainstream of society and often point out where it's glaringly wrong. You've been an inspiration to me in many ways, but I don't often tell you."

"Well, I appreciate your vote of confidence, Eddie. I certainly don't view myself that way. I just hope that I can get some answers soon. I often feel exhausted just from thinking about it all the time."

Noriko brought our order, and Eddie and I talked mostly about work, family, and the past week in general. I was glad that he wasn't going to ditch me, but I certainly didn't feel like the person he described. I wasn't so self-assured. Oftentimes, I seemed to be groping in the dark for a door that I expected to open somewhere that would lead me to my goal. I was afraid that maybe I was just going in circles like someone lost in the woods.
Wednesday, August 22, 5:50 PM

I had a lot to tell. I decided to forego the usual beer and have a soft drink so that Eddie didn't have a reason to tell me my thinking was compromised. Well, not that he needed the alcohol excuse; he had many other arrows in his quiver, but I wanted to disarm this one. I had information that I simply couldn't divulge at this point. A cataclysmic event was brewing in the world that could potentially annihilate the majority of the world's populace. Eddie was a cautious and calculating man, and he knew my impulsiveness. If I shared too much too soon, he would shut me down, and we would spend precious time arguing over the issues and the plausibility of what I now know. I know there isn't much time, but I need to gently get Eddie up to speed by building a foundation of knowledge that will make it easier for him to accept.

Eddie came in and slid into the booth. "Wow! What a week at work! We've been swamped. It got a little crazy. Whoa! Soft drink, huh? That's a first! Hi, Noriko! I'll have a diet cola, salad, and spring rolls."

Noriko turned to me for my order. "And I'll have the soup, salad, and shrimp fried rice."

As Noriko walked away, Eddie stretched his arms upward. "So, Adriel, are you on the wagon or something?"

"No, I just wanted to keep a very clear head tonight."

"Did you meet that lady's sister this past week?"

"I did."

"Is she as attractive as her sister?"

"More so!"

"Did you meet her at a bar?"

"No, we met at her house."

"Oh, no! Let's not play twenty questions here, Adriel. Tell me all about it."

"I gave her a call, and she invited me over for tea."

"How quaint!" Eddie mockingly shrugged his shoulders and tilted his head.

"Her name is Kate. She's a very proper, intelligent, and reasonable woman. She's retired from the proceeds of her late husband's life insurance settlement. Jane had told her about me, and she was intrigued."

"I hope you behaved yourself."

"Let's stop going down that road, Eddie. It's getting old, and there's no substance to it. I have something very important to tell you, and I need for you to listen very carefully."

"OK, OK!" Eddie put both elbows on the table and propped his head in his hands.

"The moment my eyes met Kate's, I recognized that I knew her well. I told her all sorts of things about her that kept her fascinated for over an hour. Then I began to tell her about her parents. Some of what I said she was unaware of, but most of it was corroborated by her."

"Is her favorite color yellow too?" Eddie was mocking me.

"No, it's pink. Jane is one year older than Kate, and the more interesting thing is that I know why they are just a year apart, but I'm not going to get into that this evening. In fact, I probably won't explain that aspect for quite a while, because I'm still assimilating all of this, and things are escalating rapidly. It's like a breach in the wall of a dam. It starts with a trickle, then it starts to pour, and if my calculations are correct, the dam will burst and there will be a flood of these experiences."

"Maybe you knew their parents at some point. That could account for your mysterious knowledge."

"We're way past that, Eddie. Her parents died in a car accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike about two years ago. They lived in Philly all their lives. I've never been there. Kate moved here with Jane a few weeks ago. Eddie, I'm not sure how to get you up to speed with my situation, or if I really should. I'm going to give you the opportunity to exit this conversation and my life, because what I have to tell you is going to have an irreversible effect on you."

"Oh, come on, Adriel! How would I know if I want out if I don't know what it is? That doesn't make sense."

"Let's just say it will answer questions we've had for years, and it will cause several paradigm shifts that could be traumatic emotionally and philosophically. I can't tell part of it, or it won't make sense. I have to tell it all, and the difficult part of all this is that I'm not sure that I'm supposed to know what I know."

"What? You think you're some sort of a prophet or seer? So far, I haven't heard anything that would make me turn tail and run."

"I'm not sure what I am yet. I'm still working on that. There may come a point where you want out after I start describing these things, but I'm urging you to commit at this point without having the specific knowledge, because once I start, you need to stick with it. Otherwise, it could be potentially dangerous to know part of this without the full knowledge."

"OK, well then, I'm in."

"You're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. You're being your old melodramatic self again. It's kind of amusing." Eddie grinned, reached across table, and tapped the back of my left hand.

"You haven't begun to be amused. I guarantee."

"Adriel, before we start, I have to ask, did you tell Evelyn about the interviews with the attractive ladies?"

"I did. At first she was offended, but when I disclosed the conversations and what I was experiencing, she became more concerned for my welfare. It has been difficult for me to perform my job in the last few days after we last met, because I am bombarded with thoughts and memories that won't stop. Even as I sit here, the memories are streaming in at an alarming rate."

"Memories of what?"

We paused for a few minutes while Noriko served our food. She gave Eddie his fork that he always expected. I was consistently amused that he would never try to use chopsticks. I enjoyed the challenge. Some days were better than others in spite of my rheumatoid arthritis, but I never let that stop me. Once Noriko retreated, we continued.

"OK, Eddie, you asked what memories I was having. Basically everything, it seems. I'll explain all of this in due time. Evelyn suggested that I take a week off of work to relax and gather myself. I thought that was a great idea, so I've been off work since Monday. My so-called meditation sessions have turned into data streaming activities, whereby I am inundated with seemingly limitless information in the form of memories. These memories are of thousands of people. I told Evelyn things about her family and friends, things that she knew that I couldn't possibly know naturally."

"So, tell me something about me that you couldn't possibly know." Eddie thought he could stump me.

"I know your brother who was stillborn three years before you were born."

Eddie's jaw dropped. "I've never told you that. I've never told anyone that. How could you possibly know that? My mother won't even talk about it."

"Is that enough for you, or do you want more?" I was trying to disguise the triumph in my inflection.

"What was my favorite toy when I was five years old? I know you don't know that."

"It was a windup toy, a bear on a tricycle."

"Oh my god! You're gifted! What are you going to do with this?"

"I have no idea. First, I have to find out when things will settle down. This memory streaming is exhausting."

"How do you remember it all?"

"It's not like learning with your brain. This seems to be apart from my brain. The memories are clear, and there's no way to forget them. It's hard to explain. It's not like memorizing something. It's more like seeing what sits right in front of me. I need for you to promise me something, now that you've committed. Please don't tell anyone else about this. This is potentially extremely dangerous, and I don't want word getting out."

Noriko replenished our drinks and then tended to a couple in the corner.

"Does Evelyn know all of this?" Eddie gestured for me to take his wasabi, but I shook my head.

"She does, and she's very afraid of what might happen."

"You have a tremendous responsibility here. Can you handle this?"

"Interestingly, I think I can, but it's far from over yet. I have no idea how far this is going to go."

"So, basically you are able to remember other people's memories, right?"

"It's a little more than that, Eddie. I can remember what they've forgotten."

"Then you're not just plugging into what a person remembers, but you're able to remember things that they don't even know."

"That's the way it seems."

"Can you do this with anybody?"

"I don't know. I doubt it, because I'm still being bombarded with billions of memories."

"Stop exaggerating. No one can remember billions of things."

"It's no exaggeration. I am receiving thousands of memories every minute."

"Then when did you get the memories of my life?"

"It was very early in the process, actually. It started with those closest to me and spread from there."

"How did you have memories of Jane and Kate if it started with those closest to you? You didn't even know them."

"OK, that's part of what I didn't want to get into yet. I want to give this some more time to where I can explain it so that it makes sense. Right now, I think I understand, but I haven't been able to put all of the pieces together yet. I'm waiting for the so-called dam to break, and I think it will be soon."

"You know, Adriel, you could be the most famous person in the world."

"That's the opposite of what I want. I don't want anyone else to know this."

"Then what about Jane and Kate? They know about this."

"They only know a small portion that involves their lives. They don't know that I'm receiving memories from all over. Even if they tell their friends, they can only relate the infinitesimal portion that they know, and it will merely make an interesting conversation. At this point, if anyone confronted me, I would allude to it being a temporary phenomenon. You and Evelyn are the only ones who know the extent so far."

"Well, I'm certainly not going to tell anyone. If word got out about what you can do, it could be disastrous. The imagination runs wild with what people might want from you. You better hope the federal government doesn't find out about you. Imagine what they could do." Eddie was pointing his fork at me.

"I know. Let's not discuss that. Right now, I'm trying to understand where this is leading. I know it's not an accident, and I'm trying to understand the real purpose behind this."

"OK, Adriel, I have a request. Tell me what happened to Annie and me that we didn't get married. I mean, I understand it from my end, but what about hers?"

"Eddie, this isn't a parlor game or a way to satisfy curiosity. We'll discuss all of this in due time, but right now I'm still gathering information."

"So, you don't know?"

"I didn't say that. I don't want to give trite answers without being able to relate everything to the whole picture. It's like puzzle pieces fitting together. I'm beginning to see a picture and form an opinion, but there's so much detail yet to be disclosed."

"Do you think you'll know next week?"

"I have no idea, but at the rate this is escalating, I'm sure I'll know much more by then. Another thing is that we need to be very careful about the proximity of other people in this restaurant. I certainly don't want our conversation to be overheard. We need to be aware of this when we're talking."

"Oh, I agree. Luckily, there usually aren't people close enough to hear us."

"OK, Eddie, let's talk about more mundane things for a while. My head is starting to spin again. So, you mentioned that you were swamped at work this week."

Well, I now felt as though I had dropped a bomb that couldn't be retracted. I know there are several questions to answer, and in the end, this will all make perfect sense. It really wasn't some hocus-pocus event that was happening to me. It has a rational and logical explanation. The problem that I was facing at this point was that I only had about an hour and a half with Eddie every Wednesday evening, and that just made it all the more challenging to be able to describe all of this in congruent, logical snippets during that time. Besides, I needed to make sure that no one was listening or within earshot, which made it all the more difficult. Scheduling more time during the week wasn't an option. Evelyn somewhat resented my Wednesday nights anyway, so I had to find a way to disclose this logically during the allotted time. Consequently, this really proved to be an excellent way to let Eddie assimilate our conversations during the week, because dumping all of this on someone at one time could be overwhelming, and he would forget half of it, mostly due to the brain rejecting the subject matter. I'll explain why that is later.
Wednesday, August 29, 5:45 PM

So much has happened in the past week. I'm now loaded with more information than I can relate in one evening. I'm going to have to start from where we left off and take it one step at a time. I spent a few minutes catching up with Noriko's life and how she had been. I had her bring me a beer, and then I settled back to contemplate tonight's conversation.

Before long, Eddie swung the door open and traipsed over to our table. As Eddie slid into the booth, he observed, "So, Adriel, you're back to the beer regimen, I see."

"Oh yeah, I really enjoy it."

"Is there any alcoholic drink you don't enjoy?"

"I'm not much for tequila, but I'll drink it on occasion."

"So, the answer to my question is, 'no'";

"I guess that's true," I conceded.

Noriko stopped by to take our order. We rarely ordered anything different, so choosing was usually quick and easy. Eddie then resumed. "What's the new revelation this week? You know, Adriel, a few weeks ago you said that you couldn't think of anything else other than your situation. Well, now I'm in the same boat. I've been thinking about this all week."

"It can be overwhelming, for sure. So much has happened, and it's hard to know where to start. The puzzle pieces are rapidly coming together, but trying to explain this in a logical fashion is somewhat of a challenge. Vocabulary will fail me in many instances, because it transcends language. All of this is conveyed to me in thought patterns that are difficult to describe. So, I think at this point, I will start with concepts and realms to lay a foundation."

"Wow, Adriel! Now you're starting to sound more philosophical than you have for quite some time."

"Philosophy tends more toward a belief system. What I'm about to describe might sound like a belief system to anyone who may hear it, but to me it's a stark reality. Let's start with the fact that there is nothing special about me."

"You're kidding, right? You remember things about people's lives, even when they have forgotten those things themselves, and you're not special?"

"Actually, Eddie, I'm not. In essence, we're all capable of this from an equal standpoint. You, or anyone else, could be capable of the same thing. The only difference is that some veil has been lifted from in front of me, and I'm able to see what I was blinded to before."

"Mankind is blinded?"

"Absolutely! I'm not sure why my blindfold was removed, but that's basically what has happened. It has now escalated far beyond what I originally thought was happening. I'm not remembering other people's memories."

"You're not? But I thought you were able to recall others' memories about their own lives."

"Not at all, I never recalled events in their lives; I only recalled personality aspects that they had."

"Oh, but you did, Adriel. You told me about my stillborn brother and my favorite toy when I was young. How could that be, if all you remember are personality traits?"

"That's a good question. I'll have to get back to you on that. I've never done that with anyone but you. I'll see what I can find out."

"OK, so you recalled other people's personalities. Why do you not think you are recalling their memories?"

"I misinterpreted what I was seeing."

I paused to let Noriko serve our food. Eddie talked with her for a while and exchanged some pleasantries, and then she stepped over to attend to another table. Once she was out of earshot, I continued. "Remember when I said that when I met Jane it was as though I had just bumped into an old friend?"

"Sure."

"Well, that is exactly what happened. I'm not recalling other's memories, just my own."

"How could you have a memory of someone that you never met, Adriel?"

"That was my mistake. I had met Jane and Kate, and their parents, and you, and millions of others. My memories are being restored to me. The billions of memories that have been flooding in are my own."

"How could you have met them? You said they grew up in Philly, and you've never been there."

"Eddie, this may be difficult for some to accept, but we all existed long before we were born on this earth."

"You know, you and I have toyed with that idea in the past. It does make a lot of sense and seems to explain a few things. We used to talk about the people in a religious sect who would refer to 'going home' when they die to a place that they believed they had never been. How can it be home if you've never been there? That didn't make any sense."

"That's very true. I think one of the major oversights that most people have is that nothing was created after the earth was finished. I have a lot to share with you, but I need to start with the fact that we existed long, long ago. In fact, we originated from the Creator not long after his messengers were established."

"So then, we existed before the earth was created?"

"Definitely! I remember it, Eddie."

"So, you think you remember before you were born?"

"I know I do, but I don't want to get ahead of myself. I think the first concept that needs to be understood is that we existed before we came here, and we will continue to exist after we leave."

"We've talked about the concept of always being here, which sort of coincides with the reincarnation and karma aspects of people's lives in some belief systems."

"Let's take this really slowly, Eddie. I can answer all of those questions in due time, and I will, but for now I want to discuss some of the aspects of our pre-existence. The first and foremost thing to understand is that it is completely unnatural to remember our lives before we came. The program does not lend itself to any precognitive events, or it will negate the purpose for being here."

"Program? Are we in the Matrix?"

"Haha! Not at all, there is a purpose for being here, and there's so much to explain about that, which will take many weeks of our meetings together. I need to build this slowly, because you're going to feel certain tendencies along the way due to the fact that your blindfold hasn't been lifted. It will be like a blind man being led through an intricate maze, and someone describing the surroundings to him. Some of what you will hear will sound impossible, or so incredible that your brain will want to reject it. The thing that I want to get across tonight is that the brain is developed in this world. It is only of this world, and it cannot comprehend anything outside of this universe."

"What about the belief in the supernatural?"

"Those beliefs are held apart from the brain. What we need to understand is that we are composed of much more than our brains or our physical bodies."

"You're talking about the human soul, right, Adriel?"

"Yes, I am. It's the eternal aspect that is truly you. However, being on this earth can dull the soul if we only concentrate on what our brains perceive. Intense learning, especially the sciences, uses the brain to such a degree that it tries to make sense of its surroundings based on what can be proven within the confines of this three-dimensional universe. It can't see outside the box that it lives in; therefore, it rejects what it cannot see."

"So, that explains why many scientists don't believe in a Creator."

"That's partially true, Eddie. It isn't that simple, but I'm trying to convey this in simple terms to understand."

"You and I are scientists from an information technology perspective, but we don't seem to have those issues of disbelief, Adriel."

"Like I said, it isn't that simple. Our study is more of a creative, innovative style than ascertaining facts like a geologist or biologist. Our creativity doesn't come from the brain, but the soul. We were born with this inherent characteristic, and that's why we gravitated toward our current vocations."

"Are the soul thinkers more creative?"

"Not necessarily, nothing is that cut and dried, but we need to understand the aspects of the soul versus the brain in a more simplistic fashion in order to comprehend the conflict between the two. The soul readily identifies with the supernatural, which the brain wants to reject, because the brain would then have to admit that it isn't the most important component to a human, since it's temporal and not eternal."

"Our brains have an ego?"

"Frankly, that's the extent of the ego! People who listen to their brains too much develop a terrible sense of ego, because it has its roots in the physical world. Souls aren't egotistical, because they know well that there's nothing to be egotistical about. There are some challenging aspects to this that I will explain in due time. They're fascinating, actually, but without the proper foundation of understanding they won't make much sense. Going back to the absolute perspective of reality, we need to understand that the brain deals better with definition. Grey areas upset the brain. It doesn't like the word 'maybe,' it prefers an absolute, like yes or no. Otherwise, it feels an uncomfortable instability."

"Then instability comes from the brain?"

"How true! Depression, instability, paranoia, and every other emotional and psychological disorder have their roots in the brain, not the soul. That's why chemicals, like mood stabilizers, work so well. They change the brain chemistry to affect a person's moods and fears."

"Is fear purely a brain function?"

"Well, not entirely, but that's getting ahead of our discussion. I will explain everything over the next several weeks, and I do mean everything. Therefore, in order to comprehend what I'm about to disclose in the near future, you are going to have to exercise some faith via your soul, because your brain will fight against this. Some of the concepts will prove to be uncomfortable and maybe offensive, but more so to other people than you, partially due to the concepts that we have discussed over the past decade or so."

"I'm game. This is actually kind of fun."

"Yeah, right now I'm missing the fun part. Please remember that I am still gathering information, or I should say that it is being gathered for me."

"So, if remembering your life before you came here isn't part of the program, as you say, why are you able to remember?"

"I haven't figured that out yet, or I should say that it hasn't been disclosed to me yet. I'm not initiating any of this, and I'm not really finding things out on my own. You were right several weeks ago when you said that if I was supposed to know, then I would. I felt like I needed to ferret out information, but none of my efforts really uncovered anything. It was Jane who called me and had me call her sister. It has been one wild ride ever since, none of which I initiated. Even that first encounter with Jane at my wife's office party was compulsive to such a degree that I felt I had to say something. There's no way I could remain silent."

"So, you really can't stop this, can you?"

"No matter how hard I might try, I'm quite certain that I'm not in control of what's happening to me."

"OK, you were saying that my brain will reject what you have to say because it will seem illogical, right?"

"Maybe, but If you view this with your soul, it will sound perfectly logical. In our past conversations, we have been very soul oriented, so I think you will have minimal interference from your brain, because you've trained yourself to understand some of the concepts. However, this goes far beyond anything we ever discussed, so I just wanted to give you fair warning that there are some incredible things to disclose. I've decided to start next week with some fun stuff that I think you'll enjoy,"

"No incredible stuff yet, then?"

"Oh, it's incredible all right! It will take a few weeks to explain this one event, because it's the most magnificent thing we have ever seen, although right now you don't remember it."

"Come on, give me a hint!"

"You sound like a youngster on Christmas Eve. How cute!"

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Absolutely not! This is too incredible, and I don't want to give your brain time to build up a resistance. Your soul will really enjoy this one. We'll start discussing it next week."

I was constantly astounded with the information, or I should say, memories that were streaming in. I thought that sharing an incredible experience that I had with Eddie many billions of years ago would do a couple of things. One, it would give me more time to receive more memories, and two, it would buy me some time to organize this into relatable events.

## **CHAPTER TWO**

### **_The Enlightenment_**
Wednesday, September 5, 5:55 PM

"Hi, Noriko! I think I'll have some hot sake tonight instead of my usual beer. Thanks." Sake seemed just the thing to get me relaxed enough to talk about the subject matter for the evening. I had scarcely finished my first cup when Eddie arrived.

"Hey, Adriel! Sorry I'm late. I've been looking forward to this for a week now. You're drinking sake? I thought you reserved that for the cooler months."

"We're going to have some fun in our discussion tonight, and I wanted to loosen up a bit."

Eddie slipped into his side of the booth as Noriko was approaching. He removed his glasses and looked up to order one of his favorites. "Hi, Noriko! I'll have a diet cola, the salad, and chicken fried rice."

Noriko then turned to me. "And I'll have soup, salad, and the Mikimoto roll." I decided to try something new. I had never ordered this roll before, and I was curious.

Eddie was a bit anxious and ran his fingers through his thick, dark hair a couple of times and put on his glasses. "OK, now what's this incredible thing that I don't remember?"

"Well first, Eddie, I need to preface this story with some discussions that we have had in the past. Years ago, we discussed the whole religion aspect of mankind, and that all religions were man-made."

"Sure, I remember those talks."

"You grew up going to church, and I didn't. When I became an adult, I needed a drastic change in lifestyle, so I started the whole church thing as you recall from our discussions. I was in deep. I learned the Greek language to read the original text, and at different times in our lives we both did mission work outside of the country."

"Yeah, yeah, I know all of this, Adriel. Stop stalling." Eddie was fidgeting in his seat.

"I'm not stalling; I just want to make sure that I set the stage properly. This is a major event, and it pertains to some of our discussions. We used to study the book together until we realized that it had a significant number of inconsistencies. It became glaringly obvious to us that those who had been responsible for copying it down through the centuries had modified it to solidify their organization with the intent to perpetuate their society and endorse it forever."

"How true! We forsook those writings, knowing they weren't true."

"Yeah, but rather than throw the baby out with the bath water, I continued to search through the writings, and I think it becomes obvious what's original and what's not.

"Yes, Adriel, but I say if there's one percent arsenic in 99% pure water, you pour it down the drain."

"I know what you think, Eddie. I just found a way to remove the arsenic, that's all, and I think it's more like 30% arsenic and 70% pure water. Man has definitely tainted the writings over time. Even the pure parts are poorly translated from the original language. In fact, you really can't accurately translate it into any language. You have to understand the originals to know what it really says."

"I think you're wasting your time with that, Adriel. Truth is available to anyone, anywhere, and anytime."

"I agree. In fact, part of the investment that the Creator gave us was a part of himself. That part serves as a sort of spiritual compass to point to Truth, if we will just pay attention. In addition to that, I enjoy the thought provoking aspects of the writings. Nonetheless, what I'm about to relate does follow the first part of the book to a great degree, as you will see."

"Are you talking about the creation of the universe?"

"I certainly am. I know you don't remember it, but we were sitting side by side. We all had a front row seat. There were billions of us. What a stage! Let me start from the beginning. My first recollection is seeing my Creator. He spoke to me gently and lovingly. I felt so much a part of him. He taught me how to communicate with the other souls. I was only allowed to converse with him or other souls like myself. I wasn't allowed, nor could I, communicate with his staff of overseers. I understood that they were born before any of us, and they had specific responsibilities concerning all of us. As I look back, I now realize that some of the responsibilities involved our protection, but back then I was totally unaware of any danger. We were all allowed to mingle and converse with one another as he continued to bring other souls into existence. We weren't allowed to witness any of the births of other souls. We were busy getting to know one another. There were countless billions of souls, but time wasn't a concern. Some of us readily formed groups due to kindred likenesses. We would venture out of our groups to search for other kindred souls.  That's how I met you."

"Souls are born?"

"Well, that's the term I used. Actually, we were all created somehow."

"So, are souls still being created?"

"Oh no, not at all! That whole process finished before the creation of this three-dimensional matter that we observe around us. We'll get to that. You and I had a stronger, mutual attraction than anyone in my group. We readily connected and began searching far and wide to find others who would prove to have the same likeness."

"Are you saying we knew each other before we met in the office for the first time?"

"Absolutely! That's what caused us to readily connect here on this plane. "

"Did we find others that were like us?"

"Sadly, we didn't find many. It's much like what we experience here. Our view that 97% of the people in this world are idiots was formed long before we ever came here. In fact, we said it back then. We searched all over and seldom found a good fit. Some were intelligent enough, but they had other flaws that didn't allow us to accept them into our group. It was mainly just you and me with a few others."

"How many people did we talk to?"

"I would estimate hundreds of millions."

"Oh, come on, Adriel! You suffer from an overactive imagination. You're making this up!"

"No, I'm not. I really remember these things. I have so much more to tell you. If you can't believe what I'm telling you now, you certainly won't believe most of the other things I have to say."

"Did we hang out together the whole time?"

"Oh, no, we found others on our own that we grouped with, just not as solidly. In fact, there was a long period when you and I never saw one another. We were independently looking around. You met your parents and Annie, whom you almost married, your brother and sister, and a host of others that you still have relationships with today."

"I met Annie?"

"Yes, you two decided that you would be husband and wife here."

"Wait a minute! Are you telling me that we were all making plans to come to earth?"

"Oh, absolutely! I might be getting ahead of myself, but we were watching those on earth and trying to understand what they were doing. Much of what we saw made no sense at all, because we had never been here. Only the ascendants had an inkling of what was going on down here, and why some people did what they did."

"Ascendants?"

"Yes, those who come to earth are called descendants, and those who return after death are called ascendants."

"OK, I'm just trying to grasp the terminology."

"No problem! As I was saying, most of us were discussing with one another what we wanted to accomplish on earth. Quite honestly, we were obtusely naïve about the existence here and had no idea what it would be like."

"Give me an example of the naiveté."

"All right. Prescendants think they know how to get through the maze of life."

"Wait a second, Adriel. Prescendants?"

"Yeah, that's what I call the people who are waiting to descend. Life on earth looks so simplistic, because simple is all they have known. They don't understand human emotional crises, or fears, or confusion from earthly life. That's part of the reason that they can't understand what motivates people to do what they do here. Some think they have all the answers, when in reality they don't have a clue. The Creator is well aware of this, and there is a negotiation process that I will explain later."

"Negotiations? I can't wait. So prescendants have no emotion?"

"Well, not in the way that we do. Be patient; we have a lot to discuss. Let's just suffice it to say for now that prescendants can't imagine the pressure here."

"OK, but let's get back to Annie, and what happened to us. You said that we planned on being husband and wife here. Where did it go wrong? You said before that you would tell me."

"I have a lot to say about those situations. In fact, there's so much to know about how we were then, and what we became after we arrived here, but first I wanted to tell you that we got to watch the creation of the universe."

"Whoa, Adriel! Now I know you're nuts!"

"I'm serious! I thought that this could be a fun aspect of many of the things that I have to tell you, because frankly, most of what I have to say later is a bit disturbing. So, I wanted to start on a more positive note."

"Was it a big bang, like some people suppose?"

"Well, sort of, but not the way people think. It was more of a loud roaring sound as the Creator transformed energy into a form that could have concentrated substance. The interesting thing is that there was no light in this three-dimensional universe when it started. When we think of energy today, we think of light radiance. The radiance wasn't in the form of light, but the generation of heat and electromagnetics. The rules of physics were being created along with everything else, so in the beginning the same rules that we observe in nature today didn't yet exist. I think that's a small part of the reason that people doubt a creation. They don't realize that during the construction phase, things had to be adjusted as it all progressed."

"Was the Creator making this up as he went along?"

"Not at all! It was all done according to intricate plans."

"Tell me, Adriel. Did it all take only six days?"

"OK, you're smirking again. No, not in the way that we think of days."

"Well, is the account in the first book accurate?"

"Actually, it is, but it's so abbreviated, and most naïve people don't really understand what a day meant back then. There was no sun or moon until the fourth day, so how could it be what people consider a day?"

"OK, what was a day back then?"

"Well, it's similar to our concept now, but not according to the sun and moon. I'll give an example."

"Oh, please do, because this sounds like gibberish."

"Just listen, Eddie. I can explain the whole thing, but I'm limited by our language. Before we came here, we communicated much like a telepathic language. It was impossible to lie, because everyone knew what everyone was thinking."

"Does that mean that the others knew we thought they were idiots?"

"Absolutely! "

"And did that upset them?"

"Not in the fashion that you would think. We didn't really have the emotions that we experience here. We didn't feel inadequate or unloved. They saw it more as our opinion than an insult, but let me get back to the creation."

"Yeah, yeah, so what was a day back then?"

"Well, my example is that we have a demarcation of days whereby we have a sleep cycle. In between sleep cycles we have our days of work, whether it's our vocation or personal chores. So, we recognize these cycles by the days of the week, which coincides with a normal sleep cycle. This was no accident."

"Are you saying the Creator sleeps?"

"Haha! Never! It's just an example of a work cycle. There was really no established time interval involved back then, and when the earth was formed, all of the elements that we chart today were not fully in existence. The earth was made initially from hydrogen and oxygen in the form of water."

"Hey! Wait a minute! If there was no light, how did we witness this?"

"Great question, Eddie! The answer lies in the understanding of dimensions, which I will explain later. We were in a higher dimension than where creation was taking place. Imagine two people separated by a wall, which we will use to represent darkness. They can't see one another, but if you were above the wall looking down, you could see both of them. That's an oversimplified explanation, and I'll cover dimensions later, but let's move on."

"Oh, please do. You should write a book."

"Not interested. Besides, no one would believe all of this."

"That's for sure! So, the first two elements were hydrogen and oxygen."

"Oh no, those were the ones that were used to start the earth in the form of water. I'm not sure how many elements existed when the earth was formed, but there were at least as many elements as the first eight in the periodic table. They were created in order, and some were used to create others."

"I have to ask. What's the smallest particle? Why are you laughing?"

"That's like asking how far the universe goes. Infinity spans every direction in the third dimension, from outer space to the smallest particle. The more you look, the more you find. There really is no ending in this dimension. Our feeble brains only know limits. They don't understand the limitless. Some believe that if you could travel far enough in space, you would come back to the point where you started. That's a three-dimensional concept that the prescendant souls find amusing."

"Are the prescendants watching us right now?"

"Oh, definitely! You and I used to watch countless people down through the ages and laugh."

"I thought we didn't have emotions."

"I said that we didn't have emotions like we do here. We found lots of things amusing, but let me get back to the creation, or I'll have to go home before I have time to finish. I'll answer all of your questions in due time, and believe me, there is so much to tell. I'm running out of time tonight, and I can go into more detail later, but please remember, in order to explain every detail, it would take me more than a lifetime to do so. OK, so we have this earth in the form of water in the dark, and here is where the big bang comes in. There was an explosive surge of energy that spun fireballs like a tremendous shotgun through space. These fireballs were hurled at nearly the speed of light itself, which they produced as they burned brightly. If they had gone faster, they wouldn't have produced the light that the Creator intended, so nothing was allowed to exceed the speed of light. The farther these balls went, the more they slowed down. They were of all sizes, and they began to arc and spin and coagulate into revolving systems. Some of them appeared to burn out but still had substance. I can tell you more about them later, but let's get back to earth."

"I wish."

"Very funny! So, these light sources created shadows on the earth. One side was light, and the other side was dark. One of the light sources that burned out took a u-turn around a much larger light source and slammed into the earth at a tremendous speed. It wasn't solid like an asteroid, but was made of various gases. It caused the water to boil as it cooled off below the surface. The boiling water caused a tremendous amount of steam that rose above the water on the earth. It formed really thick clouds, and then it started lightning all over the earth. The impact of the gases caused the earth to start spinning and moving in a different direction. Nothing ever stood still. The gases below the water cooled down to a point where they exploded and combined with other elements, and volcanoes blasted above the water. This went on for a very long time, and the earth's circumference reduced greatly. At this point, chemical reactions in the water had produced gases that bubbled out and formed the atmosphere and a salt precipitation, which governs the saline levels in the ocean. Lightning never stopped striking the earth during this entire time. Things began to cool down, and a rocky surface remained above the water on nearly one-third of the earth. Tremendous winds were blowing at high speed, and lightning was striking the solid part of the earth as well. The rock got pulverized into soil after so long, and something incredible happened. From a combination of some of the chemicals, and water, and lightning, something sprouted from the soil. It was happening everywhere, and different kinds of sprouts occurred all over the land."

"This is sounding like an evolutionist theory."

"I haven't studied evolution, but if it's anything like I'm describing, then I'd say they are on the right track."

"But the evolutionists don't believe in creation."

"Well, that's amusing. I might understand the construction of an automobile, but to think that it was formed from a strong wind in a junk yard is utter stupidity. The intricate design of this universe doesn't just happen any more than a complex machine just happens. Knowing the process is one thing, but ignoring the cause is foolishness. It all had a purposeful beginning, but I don't agree with fundamentalists who have their heads in the sand as well. After all, they are the ones who believed that the earth was the center of the universe. It follows our 97% rule."

"I see what you mean. Why are there so many idiots?"

"We'll get back to that later. I have to be home by eight tonight to help Evelyn with some preparations for a family gathering this weekend. As I mentioned before, the earth had been driven onto a different course and began to spin. As it approached a large ball of fire, the gravitational pull caused the earth to start orbiting around the ball of fire, and an explosion took place under the earth that sent a molten ball of lava away from the earth.  Once again, the earth reduced in size. The molten ball started cooling quickly and began orbiting the earth."

"You're talking about the moon."

"Precisely! Now that an orbit was instituted for the earth, the constellations were established. As the earth continued to turn, the ball of fire, that we call the sun, heated the earth considerably and accelerated the growth of far more numbers of plants that were dormant in the soil. So, now that we have vegetation sprouting on the earth, a similar process was taking place in the water, or oceans, as we know them. Lightning was striking the water, which was also heating up, and all kinds of sea animals were generated. Mollusks were generated first, and over billions of years as they were crushed by the waves and wind against the rocks, sand from the pulverized shells accumulated on the earth and in the ocean. During that time, a myriad of other types of sea life was generated. Some kinds of fish were able to fly and later adapted to land life, which caused the bird populations that remained on the earth. Through the cross breading of several kinds of birds, new types of birds appeared. This was able to happen to a point where the genetic makeup of cross-bred birds reduced the ability to breed across the different types. In fact, there was a cross breeding of every kind of animal up to a point where it stopped. That's how all species were formed."

"OK, wait a minute! Now that there's a sun and moon, you're saying that still doesn't demarcate a single day?"

"No, it doesn't as far as the creation account goes. The day and night produced by the sun is just an analogy for man to understand units of work. It was never meant to mean that the universe was completed in 144 hours. Once again, it's all nonsense. I really don't care what others believe. We all got to see it, and I remember it. I haven't gotten to the most incredible aspect of this yet. There were seeds of what we recognize as DNA that were sown into the soil through various chemical reactions, lightning, and heating and cooling. Simple land creatures were generated from the soil, similar to our earthworms of today, but much larger. As these worms ate the soil, they continued to adapt and crawl into various forms according to their environment. This evolutionary process went on for billions of years as the land creatures continued to adapt and cross breed, bringing countless species into existence as we know them. Once again, the cross breeding eventually was reduced through the genetic makeup of the species."

"Are you saying that every animal came from worms?"

"Not really, it's hard to explain. There were several kinds of DNA sown into the soil, so that when things sprouted they weren't all the same. They were the seeds of the species that were to inhabit the earth. They all started in a primitive form. Some developed small legs and the ability to move much quicker to obtain their sustenance from the ever growing plant life."

"But if the soil was laden with DNA, and things were sprouting, as you say, then why don't we see that happening today?"

"Conditions today are far different from what they were at the beginning. The DNA seeds that existed in the soil that were sparked by the lightning were eventually depleted and broken down to provide the propagation of life that was necessary to sustain all species. The life was transferred to the growing plants along with energy from the sun, which all of the animal forms ate to obtain life giving nourishment."

"No carnivores, yet?"

"There were no carnivores for thousands of years. The process continued to evolve, and the creatures that formed were much larger and heartier than what we have today. Mutations and the continued generation of the seedlings of animals from the earth continued for a very long time. Life began to take some definition, and after a long period you could identify the different types when the cross breeding came to an end. One of the final species looked incredibly like man. They were animals, for sure, but they roamed on two feet, and in some way seemed to serve as a sort of prototype for our current species, although our species was formed very differently, but I'll get to that part."

"Hold on. There were manlike creatures on the earth?"

"Yep."

"Leaving handprints and footprints?"

"That's for sure! They were not civilized, nor did they have any mental capacity more than any of the other animals."

"Were they the cave dwellers?"

"Some were. It depended on what shelter was available. They were like any other animal. There were basically two kinds of species on the earth. One type was the group of wild animals of the earth, and the other produced the domestic animals that would be useful to mankind."

"Were the manlike creatures domestic?"

"Actually, no, they had no understanding of cultivation, utilization of domestic animals or the creative ability to improve their environment any more than a tiger or a bear. The domestic animals weren't really put to use until the first man, but I don't want to get ahead of the story."

"Where did the dinosaurs come in?"

"They were fairly early in the whole process. The primitive life forms were very lizard-like after evolving from slithering to walking. The continued progression of adaptation lasted for a very long time. You asked about the carnivores. For the longest time, animals only ate plants. Although the earth was full of plant life, there were areas where animals were more prevalent, and competition for food greatly increased in these areas. Once fights began to ensue over the local, limited vegetation, there were injured animals that bled and died. In desperation for food, the victors of the struggle began to eat their vanquished rivals. It all started a bloody era of dominating species that roamed the earth in search of plant-eating animals. One of the things that we found interesting is that everything in some fashion originated in the soil, and everything was nourished and preserved by that which came from the soil. Even the carnivores were eating herbivores that were sustained by plant life. So, whether directly, or indirectly, it was necessary to sustain life from what the soil generated. The soil in the earlier days was teeming with life. This life was transferred to all growing plants and then transferred to the creatures that ate them and still is today, except for the quality. Life spans aren't what they used to be, because the soil no longer contains the hearty aspects that provided longevity for all who consumed the plants that derived nutrition from it. Another interesting fact is that carnivores did not have the longevity that herbivores did, partially due to the indirect benefit of plant life via the flesh of the herbivore. This created a sort of balance to keep the carnivores at a minimum so that the herbivores did not completely get wiped out."

"So far, I think I follow what you are saying, but a lot of questions come to mind. For instance, you talk about the dinosaurs existing early in the process, but did man coexist with them at all?"

"Modern man did not, but the manlike creatures that I described earlier did in fact exist at the same time as some of the dinosaurs. Despite the amount of development that had transpired, the earth was still in its infancy at this point. Climate changes had not occurred, nor continent splits by this time. There's so much detail that if I describe it all, we'll be years in the process of disclosing and understanding. I'm just trying to hit the high points, which is difficult, because it's according to my own understanding and observation. You may see it differently. I just wish you could remember it."

"So do I, Adriel. It sounds incredible just hearing the abbreviated version."

"It was more incredible than I can explain, and I'm afraid that I'm not doing it justice. We didn't really understand any of the science behind what was happening. We only saw the results. It makes me want to study biology and physics, but I have other things to do besides satisfy my curiosity at this point. I haven't begun to tell you the important stuff yet."

Eddie and I paused to settle our bills that Noriko had dropped off at the table. Eddie continued, "When do we get to the important stuff?"

"I'm just wading through all of the information that is still streaming in at an alarming rate. I'm not sure, because I haven't really planned on how I'm going to disclose it. I figured it will follow a logical progression, and we'll eventually get there. Let's get on with the creation process. I'm not going to go into the cataclysmic events right now that changed the world several times during this whole process and how climates and deciduous plants survived and thrived in certain regions. We really don't have time for that. Just suffice it to say that by the time modern man showed up, there had been many changes to the environment, and the dinosaurs, as well as several other species, had been annihilated. I'm running out of time tonight, but I wanted to cover one more thing before I go, which is the most incredible aspect of creation. Now that all of the sea, air, and land creatures were in place after billions and billions of years, and the environment was now conducive for modern man, the Creator scooped up some of the soil that had not sprouted with DNA. He created man apart from the process used for the rest of the creatures on the earth. He fashioned a magnificent body, and the first man from all of us souls was put into the body of that man."

"Is that the breath of life referred to in the book?"

"It certainly is."

"Does that mean a soul enters the body when the first breath is taken?"

"Oh, no, not at all! This was just the first man who was created rather than procreated. We have a ways to go before we discuss all of the mechanics behind the incarnation of the soul. Next week, let's talk about the first woman, and we'll move on from there."

"It's a deal, Adriel. See you next week."

I thought we were off to a good start at this point. However, I was getting so many more memories streamed to me that I felt I was explaining everything so far past that I might lose the relevance to what I really should be telling him. There was just too much to explain, and the progression of my memories was staggering. I was still trying to assimilate all of this myself, but I wanted to keep it light and enjoyable for as long as I could, because it was going to get disturbing in the near future.
Wednesday, September 12, 5:55 PM

"Good evening, Noriko! I'll have the usual beer tonight while I'm waiting."

I needed to finish the dissertation of creation tonight and move on to some very important concepts. The negotiation aspect of our existence here is multifaceted, and I need a considerable amount of time to describe it. The problem is that there is a mystery portion that I can't definitively explain, but that's a minor point. Besides, we aren't quite ready for that discussion, just yet.

Eddie rushed in the door and hurried over to our table. "Hey! Sorry I'm running late. We were swamped at work today, and I couldn't get away as soon as usual."

"No problem!"

"So, I assume that we're starting where we left off with the first man on earth."

"Oh yeah, we need to finish this up so that we can get on to more important things."

"I'm all ears."

We had to pause for a few minutes for Noriko to take our order. She could tell that Eddie was excited about something, and that he was eager to talk to me. She quickly retreated with our order to allow us to continue.

"All right, Eddie. Last time, I explained that the Creator fashioned a man from the dust of the earth by sparking a DNA substance with a unique energy form and put the first descendant into place. After a period of time, when the descendant became more familiar with his surroundings and got acquainted with the animals, it was time to handle the procreation situation."

"Did the first man really name all the animals?"

"Actually, I have no definitive answer. A lot was going on while most of us prescendants were bantering amongst ourselves in the anticipation of possibly descending, which was a little scary. Most of us didn't believe it would happen. We really didn't have much of a clue as to what was coming, but we at least understood that one of us was chosen to be the first to enter that plane. It was exciting and frightening as well. I mean, we got to see the whole process of eating, drinking, and elimination. It was rather spooky, to be quite honest. We had no concept of food having flavor, or of any feelings of hunger or thirst, so it looked more like a messy chore to us."

"What did the first man eat?"

"Mostly fruit that was already growing on trees and vines. There was a tremendous variety, and the individual fruit was enormous. There were grapes the size of baseballs, and so many different varieties existed that to this day I'm not sure what they were. I know that the man ate a lot. He was given a huge parcel of ground to cultivate, and he cared for some of the crops that had already sprouted and needed attention. The Creator taught him how to grow and care for everything that was sprouting and also how to make it multiply. There was a tremendous learning curve to surviving on earth, and the instruction went on for quite some time."

"How long was it before a woman came along?"

"It wasn't until after all of the instruction was finished. I really couldn't tell you how much time had passed. We didn't think in terms of days, although we saw the man go through sleep cycles when his environment was dark. We didn't know what was happening at first, but as time went along, we began to gather that there was a cycle that occurred every day and night. This was all very new to us, and the Creator had never bothered to explain to us what was going to happen. We just learned by observing."

"Instead of instructing everyone that came to earth, he just let them learn beforehand by observing?"

"Not really, the later descendants had to rely on the ones who already descended to teach them about the earth. Once we descend, we forget everything about our preexistence, but I'll get to that a little later. Finally, after all of the instruction, it was time for a woman to come on the scene."

"Did he really use the first man's rib?"

"He actually did. She was a clone of the first man with the same DNA structure with the chromosome alteration to fashion her into a woman. They were as close as twins."

"Did they look alike?"

"I know you're being facetious, but actually they did to a great degree. They both had red hair and similar features."

"So, the first man and woman had red hair?"

"Oh yes, that's how he got his name, Red, in the original language."

"I have to ask. Did they have magnificent bodies?"

"Absolutely perfect."

"Did she have large breasts?"

"As I said, absolutely perfect, and let's just leave it at that. So, by this time we prescendants were looking at one another trying to understand how all of this related to us. We watched the first two descendants and wondered where all of this was going. You can only imagine our confusion when we saw the first natural birth of a human. It was a jaw dropping experience, even though we had no jaws."

"Like pulling a rabbit out of a hat, huh?"

"Like pulling a rabbit through a garden hose is more like it."

"Ouch!"

"Ouch indeed! Although we couldn't understand pain, we certainly got to see her reaction."

"Wait a minute! Did the whole 'fall of man' account happen as it is written in the first book?"

"That's a very good question. As prescendant observers we were discussing what we had seen so far. I don't recall observing the actual event, because we were somewhat distracted. I do remember them being relocated fairly early on, but none of us really questioned why. It was definitely before the birth sequence though. It was after that we realized that something had changed. The man was working longer days, and the yield that he got from his new gardens didn't produce as much, and the crops were not as large as before. This is really irrelevant to what I have to tell you though. Let's move on to more important aspects."

"No problem, I just find it all very interesting."

"Understood, but first, we need to discuss dimensions, which will make all of this easier to comprehend."

"Sure, we live in a three-dimensional universe, but how many levels of dimensions are there?"'

"It's hard for me to give a definitive answer, because we were only exposed to the fourth dimension as prescendants; however, to answer your question to the best of my ability, I will say that there are possibly 490 dimensions, but don't quote me. I'll explain my reasoning later, but let's deal with one at a time."

"We have 490, and we're dealing with one at a time?"

"Relax, Eddie. We are dealing with concepts, not each dimension individually."

"Good, because I'd like to finish this conversation before I reach old age."

"Not to worry. Like you said, we live in a three-dimensional universe. This universe contains the first two dimensions, which is where we will start. So, what does a one dimensional world look like?"

"It's a straight line, obviously."

"OK, let's imagine little beings that exist in a one-dimensional world. How do they travel?"

"In a straight line. Give me some harder questions, Adriel."

"What direction do they travel?"

"Well, I would imagine either forward or backward."

"Until what?"

"Until they hit a roadblock, I guess."

"Exactly, and that roadblock would most likely be another being. In other words, they can't pass each other, because they would have to extend into the second dimension to do so. Therefore, they either all travel in the same direction, or they don't move. In addition, the only other beings that they can know personally are their neighbors ahead or behind them."

"Sounds like your kind of world, Adriel. You have about as little social contact as possible."

"Yeah, make jokes. It will make this all go faster. OK, so you see how limited a one-dimensional world can be. Now, let's expand into a two-dimensional world."

"That would be a flat surface with no up or down direction."

"Correct. So, in a two-dimensional world, beings can move about freely in any direction they want. They are able to know one another personally and travel together if they so desire. They can build walls to keep others out as well."

"Kind of like ants between two sheets of glass, so to speak."

"Yes, much like ants. However, with no concept of up or down, the two-dimensional beings can't see or know anything about the three-dimensional world. Beings in the three-dimensional world can hover over the two-dimensional beings within a fraction of an inch undetected. They can watch and listen to conversations, and two-dimensional walls can't keep them out. Are you getting an idea of how we could watch and listen to everyone in the three-dimensional world while we inhabited the fourth dimension?"

"Oh, absolutely! So, we could have fourth-dimensional folks right here with us, within breathing distance, listening to us, and we wouldn't know it."

"I guarantee it's happening right now."

"How do you know?"

"Because that's exactly what prescendants do."

"But there are billions of others in this world to observe, why us?"

"Because it's not like having ears on this physical plane; it's more like having a type of radar. Believe me, our conversation topics have been observed for quite some time by many prescendants. Of that, I am sure."

"Do you think that has anything to do with your memories coming back?"

"I have no idea at this point. I'm still waiting to solve that mystery. It will have to be revealed to me, because I have no idea where to go from here. It's all being transferred to me faster and faster."

"What about the ascendants who leave this world and go back? Are they listening to us?"

"They actually don't spend much time in the fourth dimension. They are ushered into upward dimensions where you and I have never been. I'm not sure what they do there, but they can see and hear everything in lower dimensions."

"Interesting, but did you see them ascend into the fourth dimension when they left the earth?"

"Oh yes, we have observed countless souls on their deathbeds and watched the transfer into the fourth dimension. There are always the overseers that I told you about, the ones that we couldn't converse with, who usher the ascendants into the fourth dimension to help with the acclimation. It can initially be a very traumatic experience and quite confusing from what we observed."

"Then these overseers are like angels?"

"I hate to use that word simply because it draws certain connotations from preconceived conceptions that aren't accurate. They are very powerful, influential, and responsible beings who have been entrusted with our eternal welfare. However, they have limits."

"What limits?"

"They can't interfere with our free will. However, they can manipulate circumstances based on our free will to guide us, but we're getting way ahead of ourselves again. We'll cover that later. Let's get back to the two-dimensional beings."

"Just a second! When the descendants on earth die and get ushered into the fourth dimension by the overseers, do they converse with the overseers at that time? You said that as prescendants we couldn't communicate with them."

"Actually, the ascendants do converse with them, because they are very confused at that point and need instruction."

"What are they confused about? Do they not remember the time before their descent at that point?"

"When the ascendants transcend into the fourth dimension, many of them are disoriented due to being on earth for a considerable amount of time. In addition to being away for so long, some have accepted preconceived notions about death and what they call Heaven. The experience is very different from what they expect."

"Do they see a great light that near-death experiences describe?"

"Absolutely, but the fourth dimension is full of light. There is no darkness there whatsoever. In fact, it would appear extremely bright to anyone leaving earth. As bright as we think the sun is down here, it's rather puny when compared to the light provided by the eminence of the Creator, but we're getting off track. We need to stick with the dimension concepts. Three-dimensional beings can enter and leave the two-dimensional world at will. Two-dimensional walls can't keep them out, and they can appear and disappear in a moment."

"Like ghosts!"

"Oh yes, ghosts, spirits, whatever name you want to give them. People appearing out of nowhere behind locked doors and then disappearing like smoke."

"Oh boy! This does conjure up the imagination."

"Indeed, Eddie!"

"You mean that there are 490 levels of this stuff going on?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. There's more to discuss about the lower dimensions that we can relate to. For instance, how many primary colors do you know?"

"Oh, come on! Red, yellow and blue."

"Yes, that's all you can perceive. Each dimension is capable of seeing an additional primary color. Just in the fourth dimension, with one more single primary color, you can make an unbelievable combination of mixed colors with the three that you already know. It's not only indescribably beautiful, it's impossible to imagine from here!"

"You've seen these colors?"

"Yes, and so have you! You just don't remember them."

"Do you mean to tell me that there are as many as 490 primary colors?"

"You're beginning to get the idea. Now, let's talk about music."

"There's music there?"

"There is incredible music. Here we have seven notes with sharp and flat notes of five that total 12 different notes in a full scale without repeats. Divide twelve by the three dimensions, and you arrive at four, which is the number of extra notes in an upward dimension. You wouldn't believe the sound. The whole concept of a heaven after life becomes a lot more interesting when you realize that ascendant souls can get placed in a number of possible dimensions with an inconceivable number of possible benefits."

"It sounds like there are levels of Heaven, so to speak."

"Precisely! Unfortunately, the translations often use the singular form, but the original language uses the plural, which is heavens, a more accurate portrayal of the realms."

"So, how do you get to the upper levels?"

"I can only explain part of that, because I'm just a descendant soul who now remembers prescendancy."

"I think my head is starting to spin."

"I warned you about that. We have a long way to go yet, so buckle up. It's not just color and sound. In fact, the more intriguing aspect of the higher dimensions is the fact that there are so many more directions in which you can move, explore, and discover. Just a fraction of understanding can be appreciated through contemplating the act of moving from a one-dimensional world to a two-dimensional world. I mean, what a relief to be able to move around on a flat plane after being confined to a straight line. You can meet the other beings and go in directions you could never before conceive. Then you go from a two-dimensional world into the third dimension, and it all seems magical! It's an exponentially expounded experience with each upward dimension. We can't begin to conceive of the reality of upward dimensional travel. However, one day we will."

"Wow! How do we get there?"

"We will cover that on another night, but there is an interesting phenomenon with the dimensions. Each dimension has a portal into the next upward dimension. The problem is that when you are in a lower dimension, you are completely unaware of the direction necessary to get into an upward dimension. For example, if you were to tell someone in a two-dimensional world that all he needed to do to get into the third dimension is to go up, he wouldn't understand. Up would mean absolutely nothing to him, nor would down. However, we can see that these two directions would lead him into the third dimension. Another interesting aspect is that if he did somehow go up or down into the third dimension, he could easily get lost, not finding his way back to his two-dimensional world. He might find many other two-dimensional worlds and still not find his own."

"Are you saying that we have portals into the fourth dimension?"

"Absolutely! There are twelve areas on the earth that are more susceptible to turning in a direction that will lead to the fourth dimension. Nine of these areas are over water, and three are on dry land. The most famous of these areas is the Bermuda Triangle."

"No way!"

"Yes, some people have actually disappeared from this dimension by turning into the fourth dimension. They become lost and often cannot find their way back into this world, although they may find many other three-dimensional worlds. This gets very complicated. I think we have covered enough for tonight. You need to let this sink in for a while. We have a very significant piece of this puzzle to discuss, and I don't know it all completely, but I can surmise a great deal just through observation. Much of it I know for sure, but I'll explain the unknowns as well. It will make good sense, but that's another night's discussion."

"One more thing before we go, Adriel. On one of the weekly television shows that I watch, they were talking about the possibility of our race originating from extra-terrestrials. It's interesting that blue-eyed, fair-haired people all originated from a small area on earth. In addition, technical advancement was nearly exclusive to that race, unlike any other. I used to believe that the fair characteristics were just natural selection of the northern environment, but there were so many similar continental climates all over the world with only dark-haired, brown-eyed people. It's uncanny. They explained the possibility of our race being engineered by aliens. So, do people exist on other planets?"

"Haha! I'm not sure about that, but I do know that from the standpoint of this world, we are the extra-terrestrials. I think that's why the idea is so popular, because we all have some inkling of other-worldliness. The characteristics that you describe about the fair complected race are due to the genetics of one of the sons that survived the great deluge. Due to his genetic makeup, his wife and the different characteristics of his brothers and their wives, along with environmental characteristics that caused them to adapt before spreading around the world, we see that only the darker complected people spread across the planet. The lighter folks moved northward. Another interesting aspect is the smaller people of that fair race were less able to defend themselves in an aggressive world, so they moved farther north and built elaborate tunnels that were only three and a half feet tall. They were able to run through their tunnels and escape taller foes who had to crawl to navigate. Their enemies eventually began to give up chasing them, because it was virtually impossible to catch them. An amusing aspect of this is that the little people would dress as children and infiltrate the towns of their enemies, sneaking into homes and stealing all of their gold. They would take large amounts of loot, distributed across thousands of them, hauling as much as they could carry. This infuriated the larger people, and myths were created to encourage folks to hunt them down and regain their gold. Rumors sprang up that these were magical people, who would bring good luck to anyone who could catch them, and that they lived at the end of the rainbow. That's where they would find the gold."

"Are you kidding? Leprechauns?"

"Oh, yes! There's an explanation for almost everything. The reason that science and technology developed so much more readily among the fair-complected race is due to the prescendant choice of many who possessed a higher intelligence and wanted to live in that environment. It caused a disparity of advancement in the world. Remember, intelligence is not an advantage to our ultimate goal. In fact, it can be a detriment if you lock yourself into brain thinking; however, intelligence isn't really about the brain. It's just that the brain wants everyone to think it is."

"What about the sightings and UFO crashes that are documented?"

"I really don't want to get into this, but the short answer is that the whole story was a convenient way to get people to look the other direction, much like a magician who doesn't want you to see what he's doing. Government cover-ups are engineered to attract the public to ferret out the so-called truth, when that is exactly what they are straying from by looking."

"Like the Kansas City Shuffle."

"Better known as the Cleveland Switcheroo, but the difference is the person getting scammed knows he is getting scammed; he's just wrong about what the scam is. We could go on about this for days, but it's not germane to our discussion. I think we need a break. Tell me about work today. How did you guys get swamped?"

I felt like I was progressing in a logical manner. We still had so much subject matter to discuss, and many of the concepts are difficult to accept. At least Eddie hadn't been through any traumatic experiences in his life yet. That should help. I think his biggest emotional upheaval had been the breakup with Annie or the death of his grandparents. He had never been married, divorced, lost his parents or siblings, etc. I, on the other hand, had experienced all of that and more. I think it's easier to accept what I need to explain to him later if he has a more objective perspective. Emotions can be very detrimental when you need to think with the soul and not with the brain. Remember, the brain is all about this three-dimensional world and its own experiences.
Wednesday, September 26

It has been two weeks since Eddie and I met. Ironically, his father's brother passed away last week, and he needed to cancel Wednesday to go to the funeral. At least I wasn't being faced with an overwhelming emotional event on his part. Even if I were, it would probably be another week or so before I got to that part of the discussion. I know, you're probably wondering what all this has to do with saving the world. You'll see. If I don't explain all of this, you'll never understand how I know what's going on.

Eddie seemed in good spirits when he arrived. I waited until he settled in, and we ordered our food before I asked about his week. "So, how did the funeral go?"

"Oh, it was fine. Thanks for asking, Adriel. He was eighty-nine years old, so it was no surprise. My dad teared up a little bit, but he's a softy."

"Yeah, and so are you."

"True, but I hadn't seen him in over a year, and even then I knew it would probably be the last time I saw him alive."

"I suppose that's good. Anyway, it's never easy to lose a family member. I'm sorry for your loss, Eddie."

"Thanks. So, what's the subject matter for tonight? I've been thinking about the potential with the other dimensions, and it's kind of fun. If there are other colors, are there other smells?"

"Haha! That's a great question, Eddie. Smell is one of those olfactory sensory perceptions that the brain enjoys. We have other perceptions in the fourth dimension that you might equate to a taste or a smell, but it has nothing to do with flavor or aroma. It's nearly impossible to explain here. However, your point is well taken. There are most likely enhanced experiences of all types in the super dimensions."

"Super dimensions?"

"That's what I'm calling dimensions above the fourth. I guess I'm creating new terminology, since we don't really have any for these other realms."

"I see, Adriel. Before long we'll be speaking a new, super language."

"Let's hope not."

"Yes, let's."

"We have spent a lot of time over the years aligning our understanding of definition and connotation with each other whenever we speak. There were many times that we were frustrated just trying to understand what the other was meaning. We finally settled on the vocabulary, and now when we converse, there is far less misunderstanding. It really does take time and a concerted effort to communicate effectively."

"True, Adriel. I have to admit, there were some really frustrating moments, but we did get past it many years ago."

"Thank goodness. However, now that we have new subject matter, it's going to raise some difficulty again, because I'm really not sure how to describe all of this, and I'm not sure how accurately I'm portraying it. It's really difficult to transfer thought through speech."

"Unfortunately, it's all we have right now, so just do the best that you can."

"I'll certainly try. Well, I thought that now that you are more familiar with the settings between the fourth dimension, the earth, the prescendants, the overseers, the Creator, the extra dimensions, and the ascendants, it's probably time to discuss our preparation for our descent."

"We had a preparation?"

"Oh, definitely!"

"How long did it last?"

"That's hard to say. Remember when I explained about the different groups that we belonged to that were established by mingling with other prescendants?"

"You mean the mostly idiot populations that disappointed us so much?" Eddie chuckled.

"Those would be the ones, Eddie."

"What about them?"

"Well, after we realized that we were all going to get a shot here on earth, we began to make plans with one another, and when I say 'plans,' I mean elaborate plans with one another."

"Give me an example."

"Well, some of us who got along quite well as prescendants figured that if we were such good friends at that time, we would be famous friends on earth."

"You mean like you and me?"

"I certainly do, but I want to expand the experience beyond the two of us."

"Wait a minute. Are you telling me that we got to choose who we came to earth with?"

"To a great degree, yes, however, there were stipulations."

"Stipulations?"

"I'll explain that a little later. First, it's important to understand that many networking relationships had been established with millions of prescendants. Many of us belonged to several different groups. There were plans made with others whom we never saw again before descending. This is important to understand, because as I explained before, it's impossible to lie to one another in that realm since we basically read each other's thoughts to communicate. However, if you didn't come in contact with someone after you made plans with him, he could have changed his mind, and you wouldn't know it."

"So, Adriel, you're saying that even though you struck a deal with someone, he may not uphold his end of the bargain."

"Precisely, and this happened more often than you would think. It caused a lot of problems in this realm. It became very confusing and somewhat frustrating. I'll give you some extreme examples."

"Oh oh, this is starting to sound strangely like you might be about to explain Annie and me."

"Well, that situation does fit into this scenario."

"Did she and I have an agreement to come here together?"

"Here comes the more elaborate part. You two planned to get married and raise a family."

"Then what happened, Adriel? I didn't see her again, and she changed her mind?"

"Not exactly!"

"Then what happened?"

"Well, you are correct in the fact that you two made plans, and that you didn't see each other for a period of time before you descended. I'll have to explain the timing a little later, because that will take more time, and I want to get this matter explained first. Just realize that we don't get to completely choose when we come here. It's a little complicated, but I'll explain in due time."

"OK, so, Annie and I planned to raise a family together, and we did come here at the same time, and we did meet each other, and we did get engaged."

"All true."

"When did she change her mind?"

"She didn't."

"Then what happened?"

"You changed yours."

"What?!"

"I'm afraid so. You just don't remember it. In order to understand how this works, I need to explain the most important aspect of our lives here, but we're not ready for that yet. We really need to discuss more of the plans that people made with one another. This gets rather bizarre, but remember, prior to descending, we had no idea of what life was really like here. We thought we knew, but we didn't. We had no clue about social or moral values, about what was acceptable and what was not, within any society in the world. We didn't understand sickness, disease, mental illness, birth defects, or any of the circumstances that can be experienced by an individual. All we had done was to observe descendants, discuss it with other prescendants, and try to make heads or tails out of what we were seeing."

"Why did I change my mind?"

"You already know the answer, and you need to look within yourself. It's really none of my business, and I don't want to derail our discussion tonight over a personal experience. This is too important."

"I understand. I'll look into the matter on my own, but I will most likely have questions."

"Thank you. Now let me explain some phenomenal aspects of the transition that prescendant souls were experiencing since they realized that they had to come to earth. Early on, we didn't really know that everyone was going to be involved. After a few hundred thousand years it became obvious that eventually we would all get called down here."

"Mankind has been descending for hundreds of thousands of years?"

"We sure have."

"What about the fundamentalists who think the earth and our species are six thousand years old?"

"I find that amusing. I once created a timeline graphic using the first part of the book that described life spans, genealogies, historical events, and even prophetical occurrences. It took me years, scouring through every line. If you tally up the years and assume that they are contiguous, then you erroneously arrive at the approximate six thousand year answer. However, our culture is extremely naïve when it comes to these genealogies. Thousands of years spanned some of the father-son transitions simply because there was too much detail in between to remember. It wasn't all written down in the early years. So, oral tradition and stories were passed in an abbreviated fashion. If you believe the contiguous, chronology then the great deluge happened merely 1,656 years after the first man. That's utter nonsense. We got to see it all happen, and there were so many thousands of years before that ever happened. I'm not interested in convincing any fundamentalists about history. I have a firsthand account, but I seriously doubt they would ever want to listen to me or anyone who threatens their beliefs. They are basically brainwashed, but we're getting sidetracked."

"Yeah, I know. We've discussed a lot of this in the past."

"Hopefully, you're getting the idea that so many prescendants were going around looking to find some sort of a comfortable situation to live a life on earth. They had acquaintances that they trusted and made pacts with them to help make decisions that would protect them from certain unknown situations."

"Again, do you have examples?"

"I have lots of them. Some are disturbing, for sure. We got to see great friends get together and decide to descend at coordinating times to meet, fall in love, get married, raise families, and so on. They had seen so many descendants suffer from failed marriages for a number of reasons, and they hoped to circumvent that experience. However, at some point one of them would change his or her mind."

"Did we already have gender as prescendants?"

"Sort of, but not really. We did gravitate toward a gender mostly by identifying with the descendants that we watched. However, many prescendants chose to be another gender for the sake of working out their agreements. Obviously, if two prescendants chose to be married here, one would have to agree to be male and the other female."

"Except for same-sex marriages."

"We'll get into that later, which is an interesting story, but at this point in time that I'm trying to describe, same-sex marriages were not widely considered as they are now. Once again, another story, but I want to describe the havoc that some of these prearranged marriages created. We had seen so many prescendants make plans and then not see each other before they descended. Remember, we never knew when we would be called in for our negotiation, which will be the next topic that we discuss after you get a better idea of what we prescendants were doing to one another. We had seen this phenomenon for thousands of years."

"Why did some of them change their minds?"

"That's a good question. It really has to do with character. As prescendants, we really weren't much different from what was displayed on earth. As we have discussed before, circumstances don't build character, they reveal it."

"How true! People often think that adversity builds character, but that's not true. It does reveal who they are, and if they have the resolve to choose wisely in the face of adversity, then that is what they will do, and if not, then they choose otherwise, but it depends on the character that they have already chosen."

"Yes, and it's often disturbing to learn our true character. At any rate, there were many who would continue to mingle with other prescendants and form a stronger alliance with another soul, with whom they would agree to be co-descendants and mates."

"Didn't the new mate realize they had already made a pact with someone else?"

"Very often, but they assumed that didn't matter. It was the last pact that counted."

"Is that true?"

"Once again, it all depended on what they negotiated with the Creator, but we'll get to that."

"Sounds like everything hinges on this negotiation."

"Absolutely! What would often happen is that the newly formed alliance would be the one that made it to the negotiating table. Interestingly, although we didn't know what was specifically negotiated by these prescendants, we got to see that the so-called jilted prescendant, who had no clue that he or she had been dumped, got called into negotiations soon after and ended up descending as the couple's son or daughter."

"Oh no! You mean that the one who intended to be the spouse became the child? How amusing."

"Well, it wasn't really amusing. It sometimes created very distasteful relationships on earth between parent and child and caused an overwhelming jealousy between the other parent and the child to the point that very dysfunctional relationships ensued that cascaded problems throughout their lives. It was never good."

"Oh my!"

"Yes, and that is where the story of King Oedipus was used to bring strange relationships to light. We saw this happen to Roman emperors and kings down through the ages. There was a considerable amount of betrayal in certain prescendant circles. We steered clear of a lot of these groups."

"You just mentioned the rulers of kingdoms and prescendant circles. Did these family alliances of kings and queens, and the like, originate from particular prescendant circles."

"Yes, you're getting the idea. There were large groups that were formed and very tightly organized to establish families and lineage to a very detailed degree. As I said, some of their plans were elaborate."

"But how could they be sure that their plans would pass the negotiation with the Creator that you've been alluding to?"

"I really hate to keep holding you off about the negotiation process, but we really need to finish the condition of the prescendants, and how it was spinning out of control. The prescendants were going through a development and transition for hundreds of thousands of years. For the longest time, mankind's existence on earth didn't really change much. We saw the individual struggles between families and the survival of the fittest. We saw entire groups of unorganized village dwellers wiped out by marauding bands for so many years. During that time, the prescendants were looking for ways to make plans and negotiate a way to prevent those things. Please keep in mind that no one knew when he would be called in to negotiate and be sent to earth, so these plans between prescendants changed over thousands of years as life on earth progressed with new problems and challenges."

"What made them think that they could prevent certain things from happening?"

"I could ask the same of descendants today, who think that they can change anything in regard to circumstances. Some people are concerned about health and have great diets, and exercise regularly, only to contract cancer at an early age and wonder why. As much as we might like to think that we can control certain aspects of our lives, it's purely an illusion."

"So, you think good diet and exercise is a waste of time?"

"Not completely, because it has some small benefit in increasing one's physical ability, but has no bearing on circumstances. I'm not saying that you shouldn't look both ways before crossing the street, but that in no way prevents you from being struck and killed by a vehicle. It could certainly reduce your chances of a lifetime of suffering, but it only takes one fatal accident that you never saw coming."

"That does it!" Eddie smacked the table. "I'm going on that ice cream and malted shake diet that I always dreamed of."

"Good luck! I hope you enjoy doubling your body weight. There are consequences; you just can't control all of the circumstances."

"I'm just kidding. I have no intention of doing that."

"I know, Eddie, but there are some who would think that way."

"By the way, since you are remembering all of this, do you recall how many prescendants were left to descend? It sounds like the numbers are dwindling over time, especially if the ascendants are ushered out of the fourth dimension, and no more souls had been created."

"Once again, you are being very astute. You realize that if a finite number of souls existed that had to come to earth, before long as things were winding down, there wouldn't be as many prescendants waiting."

"Exactly! That should give a good indication of when this world should end."

"I hear what you're saying. It reminds me of a parable about the wedding feast, where the master commanded the servants to go out into the streets and invite people, because the original guests made excuses not to come. After the people had entered, he told the servants to go out to the country far away and invite still more, because there was still room at his table. There is definitely a quota to be attained, and it is the total number of souls waiting to descend. The evangelicals think it has to do with evangelism, but it doesn't. The servants aren't other descendants; instead, they are the overseers who usher us in and out of this dimension."

"What about the invitees that made excuses? Who are they?"

"It has to do with negotiations, which we will soon discuss. The Creator has a purpose for us to be here, and when the early descendants came, they had no clue as to what they were doing, but I don't want to get ahead of our current discussion."

"OK, back to how many prescendants were left when we came here; how many?"

"I would estimate billions."

"Tens of billions or hundreds of billions? I mean, give me a percentage of prescendants that were still waiting."

"I really shouldn't be discussing this."

"Oh, and you're supposed to discuss the other things you have been telling me? If we're not supposed to remember anything when we come here, I'd say that you're breaking some rules already."

"You're probably right. OK, I would estimate that there was less than one-tenth of one percent of the remaining prescendants left waiting."

"Now we're getting somewhere. So, how many prescendants were there in all?"

"I don't know the answer to that. We roamed around talking to countless numbers, but there was no way that we could have talked to them all."

"How much time did we have to roam around?"

"Actually, billions of years, but a lot of that time was spent watching the creation sequence. I mean, we still mingled and talked during the process, but not like we did later when some of us started descending. That's when the prescendants became very mobile and talked to as many as they could. You and I did the same thing. We just didn't form alliances with the ones who tried to control their lives on earth by making pacts with others."

"So, you and I weren't part of that mess? What about Annie and me?"

"What you two did was nothing to be compared to the extent that we saw others making deals. The part I wasn't sure about your agreement with Annie was that we had seen so many prearranged marriages go bad. The more successful relationships were the ones that were never planned."

"Then why did I make an agreement with Annie?"

"I really don't know, but somehow you both found it somewhat romantic to make these plans together. She agreed to be female, and blonde, and petite."

"Hold on, Adriel! You mean I had physical requirements for her?"

"You sure did. I guess you got the idea from watching the descendants. Apparently you found that appealing, although from a prescendant perspective I don't remember ever feeling anything like that about the descendants."

"Did you make any agreements?"

"I'm not here to discuss that."

"Oh no you don't! We're discussing my situation. I think you need to fess up and tell me about your agreements."

"Hey! You're the one who wanted to talk about you and Annie. I don't want to discuss my situation, because it has absolutely no bearing on any of this. We need to focus on the big picture."

"Someday you're going to tell me."

"Well, today isn't that day! Now, getting back to the fact the prescendants were trying to form groups to create pacts that would make life easier on earth was a major shift from what we were before all of this creation stuff happened. For the first time, we saw prescendants experience fear. It was so foreign, and you and I were baffled."

"We didn't feel the fear?"

"Never! We couldn't understand why others were reacting this way."

"Is this part of the 97% rule?"

"Only a small part. We had many other reasons to acclaim them as idiots, but mostly due to the fact that they didn't seek to know the purpose behind their descent into this realm. The fear seemed to be localized to certain groups. This is really important, because it caused so many problems. There were basically three groups of thought. About a third of everyone we communicated with expressed some kind of fear in descending for various reasons. I'll cover some of those in a few minutes. Another third was anxious to descend to see what they could accomplish. The remaining third didn't seem to have much of an opinion."

"So, which third were we?"

"We were cautious and determined. We hoped to descend in a time of great change, which we did."

"You're telling me! There has been more change on this planet during our lifetime than all previous years combined."

"That is very true. The rapid change is part of what scared so many prescendants. They had seen changes over the last hundreds of thousands of years that didn't amount to much until they saw the construction of cities and urban societies. These seemed to spring up very quickly. Until then, people mostly lived in the country and farmed. After longer periods of time, some families gathered together to form localized villages, but there was no real definitive organization. It was more of a convenience to meet to trade crops or livestock to enjoy a larger variety of things."

"Were there local blacksmiths and mercantiles?"

"Oh no, not for the longest time. Most of the meeting places for trading centered around areas with potable water or intersecting travel paths. People were largely hunter gatherers or farmers. The hunters could trade wild meat for vegetables and domestic livestock to eat. There wasn't a large enough collection of families to support businesses for quite some time. People didn't seem to want to congregate with more than two or three families. They could enjoy enough diversity without the additional headaches of too many people in one place."

"What was the life expectancy at this point?"

"Longer than you would imagine. It was a healthy lifestyle for the most part, but that's not why people lived so long. We'll get to that soon."

"So, you mentioned marauding bands that came and stole and wiped people out. How often did that happen?"

"When the population increased is when that began to happen more. For a very long time, the earth's population was only a few million people. The rate of descendancy wasn't nearly what it is today. That's part of what caused so much fear, but I'm getting to that."

"So then, up to that point, prescendants were making plans as families to dwell in close proximity?"

"Basically, yes, those were simpler times, but something happened rather quickly that changed the stage to a great degree. As the earth's population began to rise, we saw a rapid growth in urban areas, and large cities began to form."

"Wait a minute! Why the increase in population all of a sudden? The rate of descendancy must have increased, but why?"

"That's a very good question. My only guess is that the Creator had it all planned via the rate of infants being born on earth and the transfer of souls into those mothers' wombs. Believe me, he had everything planned. No one knew how long this process was going to take place, but it stepped up considerably. That added to the fear that was growing among a large number of prescendants."

"Fear of what?"

"Fear of failure, suffering, being ostracized, among a host of others. Once the population began to increase at a greater rate, there was a larger concentration of descendants on the earth at one time. They rapidly built cities and began an urban lifestyle. These urban settings relied upon the farmers and hunters to supply food and in turn offered protection for their welfare. Artisans were on the rise, and they provided equipment, arms, clothing, and sundry items that were useful to every lifestyle. The providers of food basically started paying a protection tax to the lords of the kingdom, who were established by the largest and strongest families in the area.

"Let me guess. The larger, stronger families were established through pacts made by prescendants."

"You get it. The food providers traded at the market places and earned enough to pay the tax and survive on their produce. This started a fierce competition, and now survival wasn't just avoiding or resisting aggression from marauders, but competition in the marketplace. Fear of the new societal structure grew among the prescendants, and they had to devise new plans of survival, all of which were entirely futile, but they didn't know or believe that."

"So, if the prescendants were making agreements to control urban settings on earth, why was there so much fear?"

"Simply because the prescendants became very cliquish, and they prevented the masses from joining their exclusive groups. They needed others to lord their power over, and they figured that would be others who couldn't establish as great a foothold in the world."

"This doesn't sound fair. I thought we all had an equal opportunity here."

"Oh, we do. We'll talk about that when we discuss the negotiation process. The prescendants were wasting their time, and many of them had already made bad decisions long before they descended. You'll see what I mean when you understand the negotiation process."

"So, where were we when all of this was taking place? By the way, none of this sounds even remotely familiar. It just sounds like a fictitious story to me."

"That's because you are not allowed to remember. I'm not sure why I am, but there's no point in questioning it."

"Are you sure you aren't deluded?"

"I would think so, if it weren't for the clarity and specific knowledge that I have. Believe me, I have to constantly remind myself of the validity that I experienced at the onset of all this, when I told others about things that I couldn't reasonably know. I'm not delusional."

"Well, I really don't think you are, but this is just too stupendous to believe."

"That's your brain talking. Let your soul deal with this. We have a long way to go yet."

"Maybe we need to slow down a bit. This is a lot to swallow in one setting."

"I'm not sure we have time to slow down, Eddie. I'm getting more information by the second, and quite frankly, I need to catch you up as soon as possible. Something very disturbing is afoot."

"OK, I'll try to keep up, but my head is spinning."

"I know. Please try to understand from my perspective. I can't stop the information from flooding in, and it's increasing at an alarming rate. I know so much more than I have told you that I can only convey just a small fraction of it, but there are important points that you need to know. I'm not sure how much longer I will be here, or what is about to happen in the near future. I think I'll know soon, because the puzzle pieces are falling into place."

"I can't imagine."

"No one could. I'm overwhelmed for the most part, but let's move on to discuss the fear that was spreading at an alarming rate. You asked about where we were when all of this was taking place. That's a great perspective. Let's go from there. We realized that the 97% rule was playing out. We saw so many groups revise their plans so many times just to accommodate the changing aspects of society on earth. Descendants progressed from large urban areas to empires that controlled the world for thousands of years. The balance of power would shift from kingdom to kingdom.  We realized the futility in trying to second guess the progression of the world. We knew that the Creator had a plan, and we trusted him, unlike so many others who tried to establish some sense of security beyond what the Creator would provide. That was a grave mistake that they took with them to earth."

"So, who were we hanging out with all this time?"

"We were together for the most part during this stage. As things progressed, and we saw empires fall, we became more amused at the alarmed masses of prescendants who were continually changing plans. After Rome ceased to be a world power, there were so many struggles that happened throughout the modern world. Don't forget there were other remote cultures throughout the earth, and many of the prescendants bargained and negotiated to be born into those tribal situations that were very primitive. It was akin to what they had witnessed for thousands and thousands of years. Others were afraid to enter those primitive cultures and were also afraid of the modern world."

"OK, Adriel, can we pause here for a second? I just thought of something, and I have a question."

"Sure, as long as it doesn't take long to answer."

"Well, if the prescendants were forming groups to control the empires of the world, wouldn't the Creator know of these plans?"

"I'm sure he did, Eddie."

"So, that means that it would make it fairly easy to prophesy what kingdoms would be established on earth beforehand, because if the Creator followed the plans that were being made, he would know who was planning to control the world and where they would be located."

"I'm sure there's a lot of truth to that, Eddie, but I can't verify it. Let's continue discussing the fear factor that was sweeping the prescendants by a storm. It just kept getting worse, and more prescendants got sucked into that fear motivation as the earth progressed. We had seen the rise of cities and empires and then kingdoms. As countries became more defined, and some of the masses had broken from the controlling religious empires, we saw a tremendous increase in technology starting with the industrial revolution."

"Wait for a second. You just mentioned people breaking from religious empires. Are you talking about the so-called Reformation?"

"I am. The religious empires had controlled people and kept them in the dark. Most people were uneducated and relied on the religious empires for their spiritual guidance and political security. These empires transcended most of the military empires that existed and even made an alliance with some of them for their mutual protection."

"So, once again, the prescendant schemers found a way to control their own security by establishing the religious empires?"

"Absolutely! They became fairly confident for over a thousand years that they had found the key to controlling the social and political environment on earth, but change is a constant, and they started losing their grip when people finally got enough backbone to resist their tyranny. At the time of the break from the religious empires, there hadn't been much, if any, real advancement in society. However, once people had shed the oppression of the religious empires, they began to establish centers of learning and experimentation. Knowledge greatly increased, which spurred the industrial revolution. Technology was gaining a foothold in the world, and it began to skyrocket at an exponential rate. The greatest leap occurred after the Second World War. Competition was on the rise, and some of the prescendants were afraid to live in that atmosphere. There were all kinds of fears, but mostly a fear of failure."

"Failing what?"

"Their negotiations, but I'll get to that. I know there are a lot of unanswered questions, but we really need to understand the state that so many prescendants were in. It does follow the 97% rule to a great degree. Not to get ahead of myself, but one of the most important aspects of our descent is to become more than we were when we came. It's like an investment. You deposit $100 in the bank, and it draws a little interest. Then, you get to thinking that if you tried a different investment that could produce more yield, albeit a little riskier, you may take your chances to get an even greater increase. Our lives are much the same way. The Creator invested a certain amount in us, and it's our responsibility to make that grow and nourish the gift that he planted within us."

"Can you quantify that a little bit? How do we make our investment grow?"

"OK, you and I have been meeting for over two decades to discuss intrinsic values of Truth. We have made several paradigm shifts over the years and have shunned poor, incorrect teaching. We have had to go against the mainstream religious culture to do this, and as a result, many have rejected us due to our beliefs. We weren't afraid to be ostracized, but rather embraced the Truth that we found, which proved to be very different from what the manmade religions are teaching."

"Right. The last part of the book talks about not being able to buy or sell unless you have that mark on your right hand or forehead. We weren't buying what they were selling, and they weren't buying what we were selling from a metaphorical standpoint. We refused the mark, which amounted to swallowing their teaching. The hand signified actions, and the forehead signified thinking."

"Exactly!"

"But how is that an investment?"

"It's hard to explain. It has to do with learning and spiritual development. It has a lot to do with forsaking the mundane, worldly brain influences and branching out with the mind of the soul to build faith. There are so many things that we believe that cannot be proven. The existence of the Creator is one of them, and beyond that is his nature and character, which most religious folks haven't bothered to get to know. They think they have, but we were there once ourselves and know the difference."

"OK, this is starting to make some sense to me. There is an intrinsic result from understanding Truth, and it causes the seeker to deny his own life here to benefit others. We are generous to a fault, and non-judgmental of others, except for those who are deceiving others for their own gain. The religious organizations are very cliquish and judgmental, not to mention dogmatic. So, shunning the deceptive teaching and developing one's understanding of Truth, creates a lifestyle that benefits others. I think I'm understanding the investment aspect."

"Good! It reminds me of the parable of the three men who were each given an amount of money. One was given one unit, another two, and yet another was given five. The man with one unit buried it in the ground for fear that he would lose what he had. The others increased their allotment and gave the increase back to the one who entrusted it to them. The prescendants who had so much fear about descending were afraid that they would make too many mistakes after watching others. I'll admit, it was horrifying to watch some of the descendants, but you and I never thought that we would end up in the same situation, and we didn't. There is an inherent risk in living life on this earth, but if you shrink from it, you have absolutely no chance of increasing your value. As the old adage, ships are safest in port, but a ship was never built to stay in port."

"So, how were people burying their investments in fear?"

"They didn't want to live their lives on this earth for fear that they would make too many mistakes and end up with less than they were given at the beginning."

"I don't get it. They didn't have a choice. You said that everyone had to come here."

"That's very true, but we all actually did have some choices. I heard some who were afraid of the birth experience itself and intended to negotiate to die prior to birth."

"You mean like my still-born brother?"

"Oh yes! Some negotiated to die young. No one got to choose how to die, just when to die."

"You mean to tell me that we chose how long we would live here before we ever descended?"

"We sure did, but we can't remember what we negotiated. I have been allowed to remember certain aspects of the negotiation process, but no specifics of my own negotiation. You can see how some of the prearranged plans were futile. No one realized that he would determine his own life span. We'll get back to that later. Please just realize that infant mortality, childhood diseases, deadly plagues, and the like, are the result of prescendants choosing their lifespan."

"So, during the bubonic plague, several people got wiped out who didn't want to grow old?"

"Basically, yes, the Creator gets blamed by people all the time for circumstances and heartbreak, when he had nothing to do with it other than keeping his end of their bargain."

"What about abortions?"

"Abortions were cleverly devised by the prescendants who struck a deal with others within their group to agree to abort. The Creator merely allowed them to uphold their wishes, but it was a matter of free will."

"But if descendants didn't remember their negotiations, how would someone know to abort a fetus?"

"It has to do with intrinsic character. I'll have to explain that later too, because it has a lot to do with figuring out what we negotiated. If someone agreed to abort a fetus, it means that they already had the determination within them. Remember, I said that no one knew anything about moral code on earth. It just seemed like they were helping an old friend. There were times that it failed, but the child didn't live long afterward. We're getting too refined in the explanation. I just wanted you to realize that nothing happens by accident, and most of what does happen was orchestrated by us."

"Wow! That certainly changes the perspective on a lot of things."

"It sure does."

"Then what about serial killers, and divorce, and homosexuality, and child abuse? Where does all that fit in?"

"Oh my! How much time do we have? We certainly don't have the luxury of talking about each one individually. There isn't one single cause for any of those things, and it gets rather complicated, but some of it has to do with negotiations gone badly, or a misunderstanding by the prescendant who should have done more research in observing descendants, especially when they made pacts with others in their groups. Let's reserve this discussion until we have covered the main points."

"OK, but answer this one thing. Are homosexuals born as homosexuals?"

"In essence, yes, but we got to choose our gender."

"Does that mean that they make a bad choice?"

"I don't like to view it that way. There are too many factors involved to say that if a gay man had chosen to be a woman, then that person would have been a heterosexual. You have to understand that being a woman may have caused a lot of other problems, especially with his prearranged agreements with others in his group. It does get very complicated. Although we get to choose gender, we usually identify with a gender as prescendants just by the way that we react to watching the descendants. For example, you and I knew full well that we were going to come here as males. However, let's say that for some reason we decided to be husband and wife, and one of us needed to choose the female gender. It wouldn't be uncommon to find that the wife in a situation like that turned out to be a homosexual."

"Hmm... it would probably be you who decided to be the woman."

"I won't argue that, Eddie, but then again, I do like women."

"So, in essence you're saying that we are the ones responsible for the pain and suffering on earth? We are the ones who negotiated disease, abortion, infant death, divorce, murder, and all of the other evils in this world."

"Most of that statement is true to a great degree, but we would need to refine some of it. You are correct that we are the ones who brought pain, sickness, and death to this world and amplified it. The Creator never imposed these things on us, yet he constantly gets blamed for things that happen in people's lives, when they themselves are the ones to blame. They just don't remember. We could discuss so many aspects of all of this, and we could explain all of the circumstances that happen and why, but if we did, we would be so far off track, and we need to move toward an essential aspect of all of this that is of utmost importance."

"You're talking about the negotiation."

"Not at this point. Something is coming that I will need to explain once you understand all of these concepts. I am going to need your help to a great degree, but we have to discuss that later."

"OK, we can talk more about that later. I don't want to get sidetracked."

"Good! Maybe we need to give it a rest for tonight and pick up next week. The negotiation aspect could take some time."

"No problem, all of this discussion does wear me out."

We settled our bills and left the restaurant for the night. On my drive home, I was reflecting on our discussion for the evening. I felt that I wasn't doing the explanation justice to Eddie, but I didn't know how to convey much of what I knew simply because spoken language is so limited and misunderstood. I was doing my best, and I didn't think it was good enough. Nevertheless, there was so much more ground to cover, and I still hadn't told Eddie the essential part.
Wednesday, October 3, 6:00 PM

At this point, I wasn't sure that involving Eddie was fair to him, but I needed someone other than my wife to confide in, and Eddie was the only person I knew whom I could trust with this. By now, I had received more information than I bargained for, and I was frustrated, because I needed more time to explain the nature of our existence here. What I needed to explain after that was so terribly disturbing that I didn't know how he would accept it, or even if he would. We needed to cover ground more quickly.

"Sorry, I'm running late again, Adriel. I see you have your old friend, a bottle of hot sake."

"Yeah, it's getting cold early this year, so I decided to warm up a bit."

Noriko took our order. I was sorry that we didn't spend much time talking to her, but I had so much to relate to Eddie.

"So, Adriel, anything new this week?"

"There are countless new things each day. We need to trudge on, because I'm getting backlogged with information that I need to convey."

Eddie reached for his computer bag. "Do I need to take notes?"

I waved my hands. "Goodness no! I wouldn't want any of this committed to writing. Just listen, and you'll remember what's necessary."

Eddie slumped back on his side of the booth. "OK, I'm all ears."

"Finally, it's time to talk about the negotiation process. Please bear with me, because a lot of this may not make good sense, and my understanding is sketchy, but you'll understand why once we get further into this."

"OK, Adriel, I'll ask questions if I need clarification, and if you can't give any, I'll just take what you say at face value."

"Fair enough! We negotiated our lives with the Creator; that much you already know. Each of us got called in to discuss the goals and parameters of our lives. Many of us came to him with desires to be paired in life with others who were in our groups that we had bonded with during our mingling. We had watched countless numbers of people on earth, some of whom we knew before they came here. We marveled at what they did that seemed so inconsistent with what we knew about them before their descent. The negotiation was private, and once an agreement was reached, it was sealed. Whenever the Creator sealed anything, it was kept by him, and our memory was sealed soon after descent as well so that we could never discuss with anyone what we negotiated, nor could we remember."

"So, if we couldn't remember what was negotiated, how could we keep our end of the bargain? That doesn't sound fair at all. It's like blindly signing a contract without knowing what it is."

"That's just it, Eddie, I would think that we would negotiate in a fashion that was true to our nature and willingness to contribute to others. However, if we got tangled by the pleasures and greed of this world, we couldn't carry out our negotiation as originally planned. Without remembering the negotiation process, I can only surmise that if we took a wrong turn, our consciences would be violated."

"Does this mean that if we had compassion on children due to what we witnessed before we descended, we might negotiate to run an orphanage? Is that on track, Adriel?"

"I would think so, but once again, I have no idea what the negotiation process is like. I can't remember."

"What's the penalty for failure?"

"Failure is the result of us not keeping our end of the bargain. We won't know the specific consequences until we give an account at the end."

"So, is this a matter of heaven or hell? Do souls burn forever?"

"As we have discussed in the past, organized religion used symbolism literally to strike fear into the hearts of the people with the sole intent to control them. References to Gehenna or a lake of fire merely denote the discarding of entities that will never return. Once an item was cast into the flaming garbage dump, it never was taken back out. In like fashion, the senseless deeds that we entertain here that do not increase our investment for the Creator will not continue beyond this earthly plane. Therefore, they are cast into the garbage dump, never to return. The consequences that pertain to us not keeping our end of the negotiations refers to our final destination of the dimensional realm where we will reside forever. If I am correct in my suspicion of 490 dimensions, there will be such a disparity between the higher and lower dimensions that the relative experience in lower realms may be extremely disappointing."

"That makes sense. How many people kept their end of the bargain?"

"I don't know, because I never knew what they negotiated."

"Did you see what happened to those that didn't uphold the bargain?"

"No, not yet, because there is a day set after all of us have had a chance to be here. At that time, the Creator will review each case one by one to determine the outcome."

"Seems unfair to me that we would have to uphold a bargain that we can't remember."

"I know. If I remembered my own negotiation, it might make more sense, but it's sealed, and the only thing I can do is live my life in a fashion that is consistent with what I believe to be right."

"But maybe what you believe to be right while you're here is far different from what you negotiated."

"How true, there's no way for me to know that, but I have to follow my conscience based on all that I know. If I violate my conscience, I can be pretty sure that I'm not holding up my end of the bargain. I think it's pretty safe to assume that if I truly trust the Creator and don't rely on this world for my stability and treat others the way I would want to be treated, I can't be far off the mark."

"But what if you don't follow your conscience in every decision?"

"Well, we suffer the outcome of our decisions. There are so many facets to our negotiations, and we got to see what happened to descendants as we watched them live their lives here before we ever came. Although we didn't know what was negotiated specifically for each of them, we could deduce certain things based on what we knew about them before they descended."

"We looked for inconsistencies in how they lived versus what we knew about their character?"

"Yes, and no. First of all, often they exhibited behavior that we knew to be consistent with what we knew about them before their descent. Secondly, character isn't necessarily known before we descend. We may have thoughts, fears and tendencies that are completely forsaken in the face of circumstances on the earthly plane. Have you ever done something that you thought you would never do?"

"Of course! Who hasn't?"

"Precisely, we may think we know what we will do until we get into the actual situation and find that we were wrong. For example, Evelyn and I were hiking a trail in the mountains this year that we hiked with our children when they were young. There is a particularly large rock that the children climbed up on back then, and I had to help them get down. It was a precarious situation. As my wife and I hiked closer to the location of that same rock this year, I thought to myself that at my age I wouldn't be going up on that rock today. When we reached the rock, there was a family watching their teenage daughter, who didn't know how to get down. We stopped and listened to the conversation. She decided that she would jump. I interjected that it wasn't a good plan. I decided to climb up and help her down, which I thought ten minutes earlier that I would never do. Likewise, when you and I watched those on the earth, we said we would never do what they did. However, we had no idea what the influences were here on earth."

"Sounds somewhat logical, but strange."

"I know, but I didn't make the rules. In fact, I'm not even sure what all the rules are, but I believe that if we diligently seek the Truth, as you and I do, then I think we'll find it, but we have to slough off all of the false teaching that we have been subjected to in our prior years of life."

"Yeah, it's been like peeling an onion. We don't always realize how much falsehood we've been taught until we search with all our heart. We've uncovered so many clichés and teachings that we had never really considered before. In our hearts, we suspicioned that they weren't right, but we didn't know why. After searching and discussing and analyzing these things, we have come to realize that there is an element of poison in them. It's like I said before, if you have a glass that's 99% pure water, but contains one percent arsenic, would you really want to drink it? So many people rationalize and make concessions for teaching that isn't purely true. In addition to that, there are the omissions. I might not disagree with what a person is teaching, but I often have reservations about what they are not saying. You have to ask definitive questions to know what a person is really saying. That's why I don't listen to rhetoric anymore or recorded teachings. If I can't ask questions, then it's useless."

"I agree, Eddie. Searching and ascertaining Truth is like a woman looking for her lost child in a department store. Don't bother to ask her the time of day. She's on a determined mission. If we don't seek Truth in the same manner, forsaking all that we have been taught and focus on the intrinsic values, then we're doomed to remain shackled to the traditions and false teachings of man."

"OK, Adriel, since we're on the subject of keeping our end of the negotiations, where do the ten commandments come in?"

"This is another sidetrack question, but I'll stick with the short answer for now. I hope that one day we get to discuss all of your questions at length; however, due to circumstances that I will explain fairly soon, we don't have time to delve into your questions at any depth. We have discussed a lot of this in the past, and our analysis was really very accurate. The Ten Commandments weren't really all commandments. That's how men perceived them, and that's how they referred to them. Do you remember learning of Hammurabi's Code in history class?"

"Sure."

"Hammurabi had an extensive written code, much like what you find in the early parts of the book. In fact, some believe that writers copied the code attributed to Hammurabi rather than receiving it from the Creator. Before we get bogged down in all of that, let me point out the significant aspects. Those who follow Truth don't need laws. They will choose to do what's right for others. Unfortunately, those who are unwilling to follow Truth are separated by the statements made in these so-called laws. Most of the ten do not say 'do not,' they say, 'you will not,' which is a statement of character."

"That's what we ascertained in the past."

"Absolutely, the commandments are summed up as the chosen one said to love the Creator with all your heart and your fellow man as yourself. Anyone who trusts in anything other than the provision of the Creator has accepted other objects of worship and trust."

"Like the prescendants who were trying to establish some type of control on earth when they should have just trusted the Creator."

"Precisely, Eddie, even the ones who said they trusted him often showed that they didn't, because they would use his name in vain for their own benefit or the assumed benefit of someone else."

"That's what we discussed long ago. His name is his authority just like my name on a draft note from my bank. If we ask anything, expecting to rely on his authority, but it's not something in accordance with his will, it's using his name or authority in vain or for selfish purposes."

"Yep! 'Oh, please heal Aunt Tillie's cancer,' is one example. If it's the Creator's will to take Aunt Tillie home, then that prayer is using his name in vain."

"That's why we stopped praying like that, because our attitude at all times is for his will to be done."

"You got it. It's absurd that anyone can persuade the Creator to do anything against his will, because his will is always going to be accomplished."

"Prayer only benefits the one praying by aligning his will with the Creator, as in the model prayer. Sounds like we got that one right long ago. We pray without ceasing by keeping our will in line with the Creator."

"How true! Now let's move on to much more important things."

"OK, Adriel, but now that you remember our complete existence up to this point and have seen creation and watched other souls for centuries, do you think you have all the answers?"

"Unfortunately, no, even though I know a lot more and have solved some mysteries that puzzled me before, when it comes to my own life I don't necessarily think I have an advantage. I think that's why the Creator sealed up our negotiations. I'm sure he was aware that something like this, which has happened to me, was possible."

"So, what did you learn about negotiations by watching other people since these things are sealed?"

"We knew souls that were apprehensive and fearful about coming here, as I described before."

"But why did they have fear, Adriel? I don't understand. I thought they didn't have the emotions that we do."

"Fear is a bit different. Fear is a lack of trust. Just as cold is a lack of heat. Hate is not the opposite of love. Apathy is the opposite of love, because it's a lack of caring. There were those who feared what they might do after they descended. They didn't trust themselves after watching so many others make so many mistakes. I heard them make agreements with others in their groups that when they descended, they would be put to an end as soon as possible."

"We talked about that last week."

"Right. Abortion was one of the agreements. Plus, I think some negotiated with the Creator to die early after they descended."

"Sudden infant death syndrome?"

"Perhaps, but I'm not sure that they got to choose how. I really don't know."

"OK, OK, wait a minute! I'm still confused as to how they could agree with someone in their group to be aborted if they couldn't remember anything after they came here."

"I'm really not sure; I'm surmising. I don't know if it became part of their negotiations, or if there were circumstances that led to it."

"Wouldn't circumstances be governed by the Creator?"

"Definitely, but according to the choices of the free will of the soul. If a soul would agree to help bring another soul to an end, then they would intrinsically be that kind of person after they descended, or so you would think. As I said, many did not perform the way that they thought they would."

"Did you see any examples of such an agreement?"

"Unfortunately, we did. There were so many different examples with nuances that ranged from murder to neglect to not carrying out the agreement at all. It was as though some of the descendants had an inkling of the prearranged agreement. Others seemed completely oblivious. It was hard to tell, but by reading their thoughts, that's the way it seemed. Remember, we don't know what they negotiated, and it could be that they didn't negotiate according to their prearranged agreement. It's all speculation through observation."

"Kind of like earth science, huh?"

"Haha! Yeah, something like that."

"So, getting back to fear, would you say that claustrophobia is a lack of trust?"

"Well, that's a little different. It's not a rational fear like the fear that souls had before they came, because they were afraid that they would lose what they already had by failing to comply with their negotiations. Claustrophobia, and all of the other phobias that seem irrational, are triggers that subconsciously recall forgotten experiences that produced extreme fear. It could be a baby being dropped or confined to small spaces and feeling abandoned. Those irrational fears are embedded in the brain due to a past experience. However, don't confuse that with psychosis, which is another issue altogether."

"What causes psychosis?"

"It's the result of a negotiation gone wrong for the most part. There are bleed overs from the fourth dimension into the third dimension, which could have been part of a negotiation. I'm not sure, but when people start hearing voices and music that aren't part of this world, it comes from another dimension. Many can't deal with the experiences. Some feel that people can read all of their thoughts and become extremely paranoid, even to the point of suicide."

"But from what you're saying, we could read their minds."

"Exactly, and somehow they could perceive that, but they attributed that knowledge to other people on earth, when it was really the overseers and prescendants who could read their minds. The bleed overs caused a compromise of the brain and reasoning ability and caused the descendant to fail to cope with this world. They couldn't function normally and were put into mental institutions. Drugs were able to inhibit the brain from recognizing the bleed over from the other dimensions to help the descendant cope, but it didn't cure the problem, which was incurable to begin with."

"How did they end up in this state?"

"I don't completely understand it, because we never observed an example. It could be that part of their negotiation was to remember something from their prescended state, but their brain couldn't deal with it. I'm not sure what's allowed to be negotiated, but if they did such a thing, it sounds to me like that would stem from fear and a desire to have some advantage on earth, when in reality they shot themselves in the foot, so to speak."

"I guess that makes sense. Let's get back to the prescendant fears. You said before that the prescendants were afraid of failure to uphold their negotiations within their earthly lives. You equated it to a parable about investments."

"Yes, much the same here, except the parable is overly simplified. Remember the 97% rule? Well, we were given a lot more than most others."

"I thought the Creator was fair."

"He is. It doesn't matter how much you start with, but what you do with what you have. I think those who didn't have as much feared that they couldn't produce much."

"Did everyone know how much each other had?"

"Well, it became obvious through mingling. Remember, we couldn't find a group that we considered to be comparable to us. We settled for peripheral groups that were above average, but we never found an adequate fit."

"So, you think we have more to work with than anyone else?"

"There are billions that we never met, but from those we know, and I hate to sound arrogant, because it's not a matter of arrogance, I would have to agree that we were given more than anyone that we know."

"I don't understand why the Creator wouldn't give everyone the same amount."

"I think it largely has to do with the dynamics on earth. We all have the same opportunity of increasing our value by percentage, but when it comes to interacting with each other here, we serve a demographic and civil purpose. For example, we need firemen, and we need doctors. Different knowledge and talent levels tend to represent what souls were given before they came. Some people are geniuses, and others struggle to learn algebra. That's not to say that any group is inferior. Firemen may have bravery that physicists don't comprehend. There's no better group than another, just different for the sake of creating societies here on earth. Once again, the opportunity is the same. Many years ago, I was sitting in an office window, early in the morning, twelve stories above the street before work, drinking my coffee and enjoying the sunrise. I saw a man, obviously homeless, walking down the street below and a business man about ten yards behind him. In that moment, I realized that they both had an equal opportunity to know Truth and increase their value. The Creator does not play favorites."

"OK, this is a little off the wall, but I have to ask about reincarnation. I saw a show on television where some young boy gave an account of a life he had here decades before. His detailed recollection of his past life was researched, and he got over 90% of the events correct. In fact, he corrected the age of the death that they found in the records, and after more research they found him to be correct. How do you explain that?"

"I'm surprised you haven't connected those dots yet, Eddie. Remember, we got to watch countless descendants. He obviously, like me, remembered watching a particular life and was able to give detailed accounts of that life. Believe me, we only get one shot at this life. I could, at this moment, give a detailed account of several lives, some of which lived at the same time. That would certainly baffle the reincarnationists, but there's no way I would tell anyone else these things. I haven't even told my wife the extent of all this."

"Haha! I don't blame you, Adriel. Knowing Evelyn, she would completely freak out and have you committed to an institution."

"You may be right about that."

"You mentioned consequences according to the free will of the soul. Exactly what is free will?"

"Definitely a mystery! We all have the same opportunity, but we don't all make the same choices. What makes a person go left instead of right? It's hard to tell. Some of it may have to do with people who make choices according to the reasoning of the brain or from the faith perspective of the soul. By adulthood, I think many of us are taught what to think, but that doesn't necessarily mean we have to choose according to our teaching. I have never seen a child that was unwilling to believe in Santa Claus, unless he was taught not to believe. Unless we retain that childlike faith, we become doubtful and cynical."

"But Santa Clause isn't real."

"That depends on what you mean by real. No, he isn't a physical elf who descends our chimneys, but the belief in Santa Clause creates a mysterious excitement for the holiday. I never taught my children that such an elf existed, but rather I encouraged the make-believe tradition to enhance the holiday. We pretended there was a Santa, and we left him beer and nachos, which were gone in the morning. It was fun."

"No milk and cookies?"

"Not for our make believe Santa. He was cool. Anyway, I think much of what we are taught when we are very young has a lot to do with our belief system. However, we still have the free will to break out of it. We're not doomed to follow our teaching, or many of us would not have a chance. It's still a fair playing field. We saw several examples of children who grew up in the same environment but chose very different paths in life. We were all influenced by what we observed by watching those who descended, and remember, it was difficult to ascertain what made them choose what they did. Some didn't search for other alternatives, like Adolf Hitler, who caused one of the major atrocities in later history. He had good intentions for his country and defined part of the problem very succinctly, but he didn't look for a reasonable alternative to his solution. That's one extreme example that you can relate to, but a lot of a person's choices is a mixture of character, principle, and circumstances. I once said that I believed that anyone would do anything under the right circumstances. I still believe that is true, but I think the Creator doesn't let the odds go against us. I think he tempers the circumstances so that they don't become irresistibly overwhelming, and he always gives us a chance to choose the right thing."

"I get it, Adriel. Otherwise it's a roll of the dice."

"Absolutely! He keeps it a fair playing field. Although, sometimes it seems overwhelming as though we have no choice. I think it's at those times that we don't seek alternatives according to our greater conscience."

"Some people don't have much of a conscience."

"I agree, but I believe that's through ignoring and violating their consciences over time. I think we often become calloused by what we see in others and by what they teach us. It's difficult to remain objective, but rather than side with what we know is wrong, I think that by principle, and the belief that ultimately good prevails, we can make the right decision. Otherwise, it's a downward spiral with diminishing hope. I'm not sure what I negotiated, but like I said, when we look at what has transpired, and according to what I have lately remembered, I would venture to say that part of my negotiation was to have you in my earthly life somehow, and it has happened. You may have negotiated the same thing. I don't know."

"Does the Creator influence us one way or another in the negotiations?"

"That I do not know. I can't remember any of that, because it's sealed until the very end when we all give our accounts to him based on our agreements."

"What sort of things do you think we agreed to in our lives?"

"Well, like I said, I think that you and I negotiated to know one another here. I know we intended to. I remember that I wanted children after watching so many others in their own lives. It looks so different in the prescended state than it does here. It's so hard to be objective once you descend. Our thinking gets clouded with the subjective experiences that we have here."

"So, now that you remember your prescended life, are you more objective?"

"Well, that's the funny thing. I now see it from a different perspective. I have more enlightenment now than I did then, because I was naïve then about what life is really like here. Now that I have experienced it, I realize that it's far different than I anticipated. I think that's why you and I laughed at so many people. We couldn't relate to their experiences and influences here, and it made them look foolish to us. They don't seem so foolish to me now, and I'm sure the prescendants are laughing at me. One thing I have learned is that no matter what we may suffer on this earth, we have the consolation that it is only temporary. One day, by some means, even death, it will cease. However, once we ascend, it's all carved in stone and cannot be changed. Are you beginning to see the importance of keeping your negotiation and serving others?"

"I think I always have."

"I believe that, because I know you to be a seeker of Truth."

"All right, can we get back to the whole agreement between souls issue?"

"OK, but not for long. We are close to getting past the negotiating process, and I have something very disturbing to tell you."

"So, Adriel, I'm curious. Did you choose your children and your wife?"

"I don't think we need to talk about my specific situation. I'd rather deal with the overall concepts."

"Not fair! We discussed part of my personal situation. Now it's your turn."

"I'd rather not. It's irrelevant."

"You said that you couldn't discuss this with anyone else. Why won't you discuss it with me? I'm your best friend."

"No, you're my only friend, outside of my wife, that is."

"Then why don't you tell me what you think you negotiated?"

"Look. You're opening a needless can of worms here. This could generate days of conversation. Let's not do this."

"That's not fair! You're the only resource I have to understand all of this stuff, which by the way, is hard to swallow at times. I want to hear your explanation of your personal relationships with your family. I don't think that's too much to ask."

"OK, it's somewhat embarrassing. I'm asking you as a friend to drop it."

"Oh, now I know I want to hear this. There's no way I'm letting you off the hook. Just answer my specific questions, and I'll be satisfied. You don't have to elaborate if you don't want to, unless I ask a question specifically."

"Oh, OK, but I really don't like this, Eddie."

"Did you, or did you not, intend to negotiate Evelyn as your wife."

"No, Mr. Prosecutor, I did not."

"Did you intend to negotiate another soul as your mate?"

"Yes, I did."

"Did you have an agreement with this other soul?"

"Yes, I did."

"Do you think that this other soul reneged in her negotiations?"

"Yes."

"How do you know that it wasn't you who reneged? Do you recognize this person on earth?"

"Yes, I recognize this person. Can we just stop here? I feel like I'm on trial."

"No, we can't stop here. Did this person marry someone else?"

"This is ridiculous. Let's stop playing twenty questions, or we'll be here all night."

"OK, please explain how you know that it wasn't you who reneged."

"She descended 37 years before I did and married another."

"Whoa! You got ditched?"

"So to speak. I was terribly disappointed and felt betrayed. We had established a great bond, and I thought that we were solid. You and I had been out mingling with other souls for a while. I really don't know how long, and when I returned, she was gone. She had already descended. I didn't know what to think. I had seen this happen to others, but I didn't know what it felt like."

"So, what did you do? You said that you know her here. Where did you meet her?"

"My first recollection was when I was being bottle fed."

"Oh, dear God! Are you telling me you intended to marry your mother?"

"I'm afraid so. When I realized that I couldn't be her husband, I intended to negotiate to be her son."

"Is that what you think happened?"

"Well, not only did I negotiate to be her son, but I think that she had to negotiate the same thing. I think she wanted me near her and hoped that I would negotiate to descend as her son. It seems obvious now that we did."

"Oh man! No wonder you and your father never got along."

"Can we change the subject now?"

"All right, but I have more questions that aren't so personal. What about your children? Did you have agreements with them to be their father? Also, how long does it take after our negotiation that we come to earth?"

"When we descend depends on the negotiation. To give a simple answer, as soon as possible. However, depending on the negotiations, it could take several earth years. Let me sidestep the question about my children for the moment and explain an interesting aspect of negotiations. If two people negotiate the same relationship with one another, the Creator sets up the circumstances to make that happen. We surmised this from knowing prescendants who had agreements, and we watched those agreements come to fruition on earth. For example, if you and I had negotiated that you would be my son, and I think it would require us both to agree in our negotiations, then the Creator would set up the circumstances whereby I would descend first, and when I started having children, you would descend at the right time."

"So, when would I descend under those circumstances? Would it be at birth?"

"Nope! You descend at the moment of conception. You remain during the gestation period and are attached to your fetus. Your brain develops with all of your abilities as you continue to forget your prior existence. By the time you are born, you remember nothing. Here's an interesting aspect that recently developed. In the latter years, when industrial and technological advancements began to increase, many of us were intrigued by what was being accomplished on the earth. Some began to desire intelligent offspring rather than concentrate on a mate, and they intended to negotiate children who had superior intelligence. This led to an interesting result. Some prescendants even required physical characteristics in addition to intelligence. As you can readily see, they began to concentrate on the earthly realm even before they descended. So, if they negotiated a child with an IQ of 160, with blond hair, and blue eyes, then they would have to wait until the exact opportunity through genetics and the availability of prescendants that were gifted in that manner in order to orchestrate their negotiation. Let me interject here that I believe if we had such a shallow request, the Creator would put certain stipulations on us that we would have to agree to accomplish. At any rate, this specific request would be most tedious and often paired souls with mates that would accomplish their desires, but wouldn't make lasting relationships. As a result, divorce became rampant."

"Are you saying divorce is the result of choosing a mate?"

"That depends. When we get too specific about our requests, I think we suffer consequences of paring with the wrong mate. Remember, we descend at the earliest opportunity. If we get so specific that the odds are slim, then I think he rejects the request and negotiates a more reasonable situation. However, if we make no requests and leave it to him, as I mentioned before, I think he pairs us with the best mate that may have a better chance of lasting a lifetime. However, it is still a matter of free will. Never forget that."

"But you don't know this for sure about the choosing of a mate. I mean, you're speculating, right?"

"True, but after watching so many souls descend, live here, and ascend, I think certain things became obvious."

"So, again, did you have an agreement with your children?"

"Some of them had a specific agreement with me. I also made a request for an intelligent child."

"Hmm... So, you didn't have an agreement with Evelyn, because you had an agreement with your mother before she descended, and you requested an intelligent child. Then where does that put you in the divorce pool?"

"Good question, but remember, we all have our own free will. It doesn't mean we're doomed. It just means there will be challenges to overcome. Two generations ago, it was more common to see happy, faithful marriages that lasted throughout the couple's lives. We saw that less and less as society and technology progressed, because the focus changed."

"Speaking of children, that raises another question. What about birth defects?"

"I truly believe that these are prearranged situations by souls that are specifically negotiated. Nothing happens by accident."

"Why would souls agree to an adverse situation?"

"That's your earthly perception. Many souls have far more compassion than we do. There are many values that are bestowed upon us, and some of those who received that kind of compassion were able to do great things on the earth for humanity. As they mingled prior to descent, they found other souls who had issues about the earthly existence, and they made agreements to care for them on earth. Just remember, whatever circumstance that you see on earth that cannot be overcome or changed was most likely negotiated. Also remember that life here does not appear to the prescendants as it does to us. We're far too subjective here to understand. I really don't want to give you the impression that everyone was afraid. These are just the ones that caused much of the trouble here. We saw some incredible cases whereby prescendants chose additional hardships of blindness, and the like, to overcome here and teach others. We saw some amazing feats of human accomplishment."

"Is that why people get angry and say, 'How could a loving God let that happen?'"

"Precisely, they speak from ignorance with the wrong perspective. By the way, those people aren't the ones with great compassion."

"What if a person negotiates no preconceived agreement?"

"I can only surmise that a soul who would do that is probably the wisest of all. If we have no requests and leave our earthly existence totally in the hands of the Creator, then I would imagine that he would provide the best fit for our talent. Remember, we must increase our investment, regardless of circumstances."

"So, we're not the wisest of all?"

"Must you really ask that? Of course not."

"OK, what about serial killers? Did they negotiate to murder?"

"There's no way a soul would do that. Before we descend, we have no animosity whatsoever. We don't experience any of the destructive thoughts and feelings exhibited on earth. That's part of what made us marvel at the descendants, and that's part of what scared others from coming here for fear of what they would become."

"So, where does a serial killer come from?"

"This is one part where it becomes very unpleasant. Remember, I said that the Creator tempers circumstances to keep them within the bounds of our free will. Well, not everyone chooses the right thing. There is a considerable amount of abuse in this world that perpetuates itself, because people won't choose to change a bad direction. These choices produce circumstances that affect many other people. This gets very complicated, and the far reaching aspects are mind boggling. It's like hitting a patch of ice while driving in your car, and you slide and spin, but eventually gain control. Circumstances spin out of control on this earth, and the Creator has to step in at some point to stop the whole process from crashing. That often means extreme consequences. Emotional damage is done to millions of children every day by others through various kinds of abuse. These actions are always a severe violation of their negotiations with the Creator. Through their free will, they damage others, but the damaged ones still have their own free will. However, if they choose to perpetuate the anger and abuse, then it slides further out of control. It would take me weeks to explain all of this at a surface level, but for now, please understand that these are bad choices that people make. Now, I'm going to tell you something that's hard to accept for so many people, but it's important to understand. No life ends before the right time, either due to negotiation or when the Creator lets it happen at the right time. It's not a wonder that some souls are afraid to come here, because they cannot relate to much of what they see."

"What about birth defects and debilitating diseases?"

"That all depends on the cause of the illness. If anyone is born this way, it was part of his negotiation. There are no accidents. If it developed after birth, it may have to do with circumstances of choices by others, or once again, negotiation. This may seem strange, but our choices have a far reaching affect on others. Either it coincides with a negotiation, or it's a situation to overcome."

"How can you tell the difference?"

"If it's impossible to overcome, like an irreversible birth defect, then I believe it's a negotiation. Cancer may or may not be a negotiation, or just the end of one's life. However, it may be a situation to overcome. Remember, before we descended, we understood the temporary aspect of this life, but we had never felt pain before.  We observed the descendants suffering pain, but had no idea what it was like. Whatever the case, we had seen countless others descend and ascend and knew that it seemed like the blink of an eye."

"Can you remember being born?"

"No, but I remember soon after that. I remember being bottle fed. I think the birth experience is very traumatic, and if we remembered it, it might influence us negatively. Conversely, after watching those who had ascended, the death experience, not the experience leading to death, but the actual departing from the body seemed to be a relief."

"No unpleasantness?"

"Not when they leave the body. Relief is the only thing that we saw. Granted, they were confused at first, but after a short acclimation they seemed very pleased, no matter what their earthly circumstances were."

"Well, I need to leave. I have to get up early tomorrow to take a friend to the airport."

"All right, but quickly before we go, I want to explain something to you, because next week I have some disturbing news."

"OK, make it quick."

"Remember when I told you about your still-born brother and your favorite toy when you were young?"

"Sure, you weren't clear on how you knew that."

"Well, now I do. I'm not just remembering my own memories, but I'm being communicated with by someone. It could be prescendants; I'm not sure yet. They have been transferring information to me for quite some time, and I was confusing it with my many memories. They are the ones who told me about your brother and your toy, and they have told me a whole lot more about so many other people. The reason I wanted to let you know this tonight is that I'm going to need for you to believe me when I tell you what I need to tell you next week.  So, ponder that for the rest of the week, and we can actually get started on the important stuff when we meet again."

"So, all of this that you have been telling me isn't the important stuff?"

"No, it's just the stuff you needed to know so that I can explain the important stuff."

"OK, I can't imagine what you're going to tell me, but it must be a doozie."

"Oh, I guarantee it's a doozie, and I'm not sure where to go from here. I still need more information. Let's pick this up next week."

"Sure thing! See you next week."

Well, I had finally covered enough information that I could now tell Eddie the very thing that I had needed to tell him for weeks. You guessed it. I have to tell him about the condition of this world and what's about to happen. As I said in the beginning, I know what to do, but I also know that I can't do it alone. I know Eddie. He's cautious and level headed. It's going to be difficult to convince him that this need is urgent, and that I really need his help.

## **CHAPTER THREE**

### **_The Calling_**
Wednesday, October 10, 6:00 PM

Eddie was running late as usual. I took the liberty of ordering for us and spent a few minutes catching up with Noriko. After about ten minutes, Eddie appeared at the door. I waited for him to get settled.

"Hi, Eddie! Noriko is bringing our usual order. She waited till you arrived to put the order in. I just thought it would save time, since you have been sticking with the same thing each week lately."

"Oh, no problem! After last week, I have the feeling that you're going to give me some really bad news."

"Your premonitions are correct. I have been sitting on this information for weeks. I needed to get you up to speed with the mechanics of our existence in order to better explain how I know what I know. It has been hard to sit on this, because it's of utmost importance."

"So, what's up?"

"Right now, from what I am receiving, it appears that we are poised on the brink of nuclear disaster."

"Oh, come on! You can't be serious."

"I'm very serious. Something sinister is afoot, and I fear that if the current path of this world does not change, we will be submerged in nuclear war in the near future."

"What makes you think that? I haven't seen any political unrest in the world like that on the news. Is North Korea planning some crazy move?"

"Actually, no they are not. I'm not ready to disclose the players involved at this point, because there are some things that are still unclear to me."

"OK, wait a minute! How can you be so sure that this is really happening?"

"I'm receiving communication through a contact who is conveying to me the thoughts of some of the major world powers. I am also able to see the path that they are on, which leads to a nuclear holocaust that will destroy the modern world."

"Slow down, Adriel. How do you know from analyzing the thoughts of others that it will actually result in a holocaust?"

"I am being shown the future that exists if certain people don't change their minds."

"So, when and where does the Creator step in? I mean if there are so many prescendants yet to arrive, wouldn't he do something to prevent this?"

"He has bound himself not to interfere with anyone's free will. An intervention needs to take place that has to be initiated by one of us descendants. I'm the only one I know of who knows about this. I'm not saying there aren't others out there with the same knowledge and task. I just don't know if they exist or where they are. It's hard for me to believe that I would be the only one, but that's rather moot. If they are out there, it doesn't change my task."

"How can you see the future?"

"It's dimensional perspective, actually. If you were driving south to Florida, for example, all that you could see would be your immediate surroundings. However, if I were in an airplane far above you, I could see where you were going and what you might encounter if you stayed on the same road. That's overly simplistic, but I hope you get the idea."

"Yeah, I guess. Does this have anything to do with eternity and no time existing there?"

"Where did you hear that nonsense?"

"Well, I always thought that at the end we would be in eternity, and there would be no time. I thought maybe that's the perspective where you could see the future, being outside of time."

"OK, I'm not sure where you came up with that idea, but time exists everywhere in all dimensions. In order for time not to exist then all motion would have to cease, and that just isn't going to happen. Eternity isn't a lack of time. You exist in eternity at this point right now, because eternity is always now. It isn't yesterday or tomorrow; it's now. You can only live in the Now, and that's the aspect of eternity. Let's get back to the What rather than the How. I'm not sure how much time I have to prepare."

"Prepare what? What do you think you're going to do?"

"I'm not sure at this point, Eddie. I have been shown some incredible things, and I'm beginning to understand that there is a purpose behind it. Somehow I need to intervene to stop this cataclysmic event."

"I'm really confused as to how you expect to accomplish this."

"What if I told you that I know exactly what the stock market will do today? What if I told you that I know what color of underwear Hillary Clinton is wearing today?"

"I'd say you're nuts!"

"Well, then I must be nuts in your opinion, because I really do know those things."

"You mean to tell me that you could invest money today and be rich in the next week?"

"Absolutely!"

"Are you serious?"

"I sure am, but you know how much I care about money."

"I do. You'd just give it away."

"Yep! You know me. Now, let's concentrate on the matter at hand. When I tell you that I have the knowledge, I'm really serious. Although I don't know everything about science, I can tap into a scientist's thoughts to understand what he or she is thinking. So, in essence, I can potentially learn anything rather quickly."

"How can you do that unless you're in the room with them?"

"Thought processes are transmitted for great distances. If you don't pay attention to them, you don't notice them. Have you ever listened in on a conversation in a crowded room with other conversations going on? You just have to concentrate and not let distractions interfere."

"Are you saying that you can read anyone's mind on earth if you just concentrate?"

"That's a little oversimplified, but in essence, yes. Are you beginning to see why I assume that I'm responsible to prevent nuclear war on the earth?"

"I think I'm beginning to, but I can't really wrap my mind around what you just told me. It's too incredible. How is this going to help you change world events, Adriel? I'm not following."

"I can only surmise that it has something to do with my ability to read minds. I guess if I can read minds, then I can influence others to change their minds."

"Sounds logical to me, but you haven't told me who you need to influence yet. Hold up. Noriko is on her way with our order."

We let Noriko serve our food and replenish our drinks before we continued. The conversation was getting sensitive, and we couldn't take any chances of being overheard.

"Eddie, I hate to divulge too much information, especially since I'm still piecing this all together."

"Well, Adriel, I certainly wouldn't want you jumping to conclusions. I think you need to make sure before you start stirring anything up. I can see that with your knowledge things could quickly spin out of control."

"I'm sure you're right, but I am sensing an urgency with the situation, and I need to come up with a plan."

"How urgent is this? I mean, we haven't seen any world events that would indicate that there is that kind of trouble on the horizon."

"That's just it! What I am seeing is that there won't be any outward signs leading to a holocaust. That's why it's being revealed to me. By the time it's obvious, it will be too late."

"What kinds of things are you seeing?"

"There is some devious manipulation, but I need to understand more particulars before I explain it, but from what I can determine, I'm going to have to contact world leaders, and the only way I think I can do that is through email."

"Adriel, you can't just email any foreign dignitary at will. You would never get through the bureaucracy and security. Besides, you'd be viewed as some kind of a nut case."

"I realize that, but if I can read people's minds, I should be able to ascertain whatever information I need to gain access to them."

"You know that they will track you down, don't you?"

"That's one more thing that concerns me. I would need a way to communicate without being traced to where I am. I know that you were working on a communications software package for secure messaging a few years ago. If I remember correctly, you were intending to market it to corporations and possibly to government agencies."

"That's true, Adriel. I actually started the communications software development about five years ago that was engineered to prevent traceability."

"How far have you gotten with it? I haven't heard you speak of it for quite some time."

"Well, I ended up putting it on the back burner due to other obligations. I would need to bring it up to date with the latest technology. The internals are solid. It's just the peripheral handshaking that I need to update. I developed my own encryption and compression routines and hid it all in an encrypted black box program."

"Eddie, Is there any way that I could use it in the near future? I just need a way to communicate without being traced."

"It is possible, but I'm curious to know what you can piece together as far as the world situation. This all sounds so crazy, Adriel."

"I realize that. I can't help what I'm hearing. This is really serious, and I have no idea how much time I will have to do whatever it is that I need to do. Could you please revisit your software to estimate how long it would take to get it operational?"

"I should have some time this weekend to review the communications software and get an idea of what it would take to get it up to speed for present day technology."

"I would really appreciate it, Eddie. I'll let you know how things progress. I may give you a call in the next week."

I felt a little manipulative, because I could read Eddie's mind. There was no doubt that I would need his help. Once I had the last puzzle piece to complete the picture, I could tell him everything that I knew about the situation. I wasn't sure how much time we had, but I knew it wasn't long.
Saturday, October 13, 9:14 AM

I awoke this morning and realized that I now had enough information to act on what I knew I had to do. I decided to give Eddie a call, because I really didn't want to wait until Wednesday to discuss it. I had some plans that I needed for him to consider, and he would need some time to think through some of my ideas.

"Hey Eddie! I hope I'm not disturbing you. If you have some time, I'd like to bounce some ideas off of you before we meet on Wednesday."

"Uh, yeah! I have a few minutes. What's up?"

"Well, I think I finally have enough puzzle pieces in place to move forward. I will explain all of the particulars on Wednesday, but as I have been thinking this morning, it seems that if I need to contact certain folks that we talked about, I am going to need to do it from a secure location. It sounds safer to me that if I'm away from home and get traced, I can vacate and not be found."

"I think I follow what you are saying, but where would you hope to find a place where you could escape from?"

"I was just thinking that if I got a few states away and set up something like a command center, I could operate from there. Maybe I can find some commercial property or a house rental or something."

"Well, I guess you could rent an apartment or condo or something like that. Where were you thinking of doing this?"

"I want to get far enough from Evelyn that she isn't endangered by what I do. I was thinking maybe Florida."

"Oh my, Adriel! Great choice for this time of year."

"Have you looked at your communications software yet that you developed a few years ago?"

"Not yet, it's only Saturday morning. I was going to take a look on Sunday to see what needed to be done. By the way, have you discussed all of this with Evelyn?"

"Not entirely, because I wanted to check your estimated timeframe for your software update. Plus, I need to check around to see what kind of a place I can find. I'd like to have as much information compiled as possible before I discuss this with Evelyn. I'd like to be able to present as much as I can up front."

"So, you're sure that this is the thing to do, right? On Wednesday you weren't really sure about everything."

"I have learned a lot since last Wednesday, Eddie. I'll bring you up to speed when we meet this coming week."

"Hey! My sister and her husband own a house in Florida on the east coast. If I knew how long this was going to take, I'm sure they would let you stay there."

"I'd rather not get anyone else involved in any way if I can prevent it. I have no idea how ugly this might get. I may not come out of this alive, but if I do nothing, we're all guaranteed to die."

"Whoa, Adriel! You sound pretty sure about this. You must have learned a lot since last week. I'm anxious to hear about it. What do you mean about not coming out of this alive?"

"Well, I am going to have to interface with some very dangerous people, and if by any chance they find me, I'm doomed."

"OK, Adriel, I don't like the sound of this. When you started explaining this situation to me, I guess I didn't see the danger in it. I know you. You can be very impulsive, and you need to think this through before you jump too soon."

"I hear you, Eddie, but from what I am finding there may not be much time left for me to do whatever it is that I need to do."

"See, there's another thing. You don't even have a plan, Adriel. You need to establish a detailed plan before you get started. Maybe we can discuss it on Wednesday."

"You're probably right, but I'm not sure what to expect. I have a lot of information, but I still don't know everything. I probably never will, so I need to get started somehow. We'll talk on Wednesday."

"OK, I'll see you then."

I spent the afternoon researching places to stay in Florida. I sent some emails to people who had rentals available. What really interested me was that I could read everyone's mind. I was surprised as to the number of people who misrepresented their properties. I started reading their thoughts and targeting others whom they knew by thought hopping my way from person to person. I was engaged in a mental network that led in countless directions. I spent over three hours gathering information and taking notes. This was unbelievable. I was able to sit in my own home and read thoughts from all over the country. I decided to spark thought processes by finding email addresses and sending messages. I began to realize how I might be able to steer world events by communicating with the right people. Later in the afternoon, I found an unbelievable opportunity for a property in Orlando that sounded too good to be true. I decided to delay contacting the owners until after I had talked with Evelyn and Eddie. I was really hoping that I could convince Eddie to join me, because I was really uncomfortable about doing all of this on my own.

7:30 PM

Evelyn and I had just finished dinner and settled into the living room with a bottle of wine to talk about the day. Evelyn was on her second glass, so she was fairly loosened up for talking.

"So, Evelyn, how did work go today? I know you don't like to discuss it during dinner."

"Oh, it's the same old frustrations. I can't get any decent answers from anyone about the project requirements no matter how many times I ask. I don't think they have any idea and just try to hide their ignorance by expecting me to make the decisions, which I won't."

"I don't blame you, dear. I suffer the same frustrations as well on my projects. I think it's the same wherever you go. I'm just glad that I don't go into an office anymore. I'm afraid I might strangle someone."

"It's tempting; that's for sure. Did you call Eddie today? You mentioned something about a software package that he developed."

"I did. He's going to work on it tomorrow and give me an idea of how long it would take to get it operational with current technology. I also discussed the possible need to relocate during the process of contacting people in the countries where all of this is brewing."

"Relocating?! I can't relocate right now, Adriel. What are you thinking?"

"Calm down, sweetheart. I meant that I would need to relocate. I don't want to endanger you if by some chance I get traced back to where I'm located. If I'm far enough away, I have a chance of escaping and not drawing attention to our residence."

"Escaping? What do think you're going to do?"

"Remember I told you that there is a world crisis afoot, and that I thought I needed to do something to prevent a disaster?"

"Yes, you did mention something about it, but I thought you were going to write letters to our congressman or something like that. Relocate? This sounds crazy."

"I know it does, but writing letters won't get the job done. I need to contact world leaders. Frankly, the less I explain the details to you, the safer you are."

"Oh, Adriel! What are you getting into now?"

"Well, it's rather involved, and I don't want to discuss the details. Eddie and I are going to talk on Wednesday."

"I hope you're not planning on doing this by yourself. Is Eddie going with you?"

"Well, as of this moment, no, but I hope to convince him to join me. I'm not sure I can do this alone."

"Adriel, you're going to end up in some sort of trouble; I just know it. What makes you think you have to do something this drastic? You hardly ever leave the house, and you're talking of relocating. You'll have a panic attack before you drive fifty miles."

"You may be right about that, but I don't think I have a safer alternative. Please trust me on this. You know I wouldn't do this if I didn't think it was necessary."

"You're asking me to trust your judgment after I've known you for thirty-three years with a questionable track record?"

At this point, I filled Evelyn's glass for a third time. I knew after this much wine that she would be asleep in half an hour, which might be a good way to bring an end to our conversation. "Enjoy your wine, dear. Everything will be fine. I need to talk to Eddie and make some plans. I'll let you know how things progress."

Evelyn was getting very relaxed at this point and made a last comment. "Well, sometimes I wonder if meeting with Eddie is really a good thing for you, but at this point, I really hope he does go along with you. Otherwise, I'll be terribly worried."

The wine did its trick, and I tucked Evelyn into bed before nine o'clock.
Wednesday, October 17, 5:55 PM

It was time to get Eddie up to speed with the problem that we were facing. Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as it sounds on the surface. World crises are not easily solved, or we wouldn't have as many wars and conflicts that we do today. My resources were limited from a physical perspective, but what I had available from an informational standpoint was phenomenal. Although I wasn't sure at this point who was communicating with me, I assumed that it must be the overseers.

"Hey, Adriel! I'm running late, as usual. It's nearly impossible to get out of work at a decent time, especially since I only go in one day a week." Eddie dropped his computer bag onto the booth seat and looked at my glass. "Diet cola again? Oh, oh! That usually spells trouble."

"Well, we have plenty of trouble all right. I've decided to give up all alcohol until this whole event is over. I can't afford to have my judgment impaired in any manner, especially since I have received more information about our challenge with the current condition of the world."

"So, are you ready to tell me who the players are?"

"Well, the countries of the entire nuclear world are the players, but we need to discuss the perpetrators. First we need to discuss the warfare involved that was the major catalyst of our current condition. I'm sure that you're familiar with biological warfare."

"Of course I am, but I thought the real threat was nuclear."

"Well, the resulting threat is truly nuclear, but what precipitated the events that set the stage for this crisis began as biological warfare. This whole arena is extremely distasteful. In order to effectively test a biological weapon, it requires masses of people to determine its strength, communicable efficacy, extent of illness, and expected percentage of recovery."

"What a nightmare! What bacteria or virus are we talking about here?"

"I'll get to that in a minute. There are many who have suspicioned that the latter viruses that have sprung up in Africa and third world countries are the result of biological warfare testing. These include HIV, Ebola, Zika, some cancers, and others."

"I thought they found the origin of some of those."

"Well, when you consider the absurdity of some of the claims that explain the origins, it practically insults the intelligence. Naturally, officials and scientists want to alleviate any panic or deterrent to world travel. After all, we can't afford to upset the economy. Of course, there are conspiracy theorists who believe strains of certain flu viruses and other more common diseases are engineered."

"So, are you receiving any information from the Whoevers about biological warfare?"

"Actually, I am, and the Whoevers that you are referring to are probably the overseers. It's not plausible that it is anyone other than the overseers who would carry out the will of the Creator."

"That sounds like a safe assumption. We'll attribute the communication to them. Do you think that all of your communication up to this point has been from them?"

"It's only reasonable. I'm not sure it really matters who, but certainly what. Although my memories of my prescendant life are most likely true memories. It's the additional information that I think is from the overseers."

"That makes sense. Please continue with the biological warfare and my question."

"It's true that most of the latter viruses and many bacterias were engineered to test feasible warfare alternatives. This has been happening for a very long time across most countries who have the technology. Biological warfare is far more economical when you consider the power to destroy human life biologically versus the cost of developing nuclear weapons. Even some of the viruses that were not engineered were captured and considered for warfare."

"Then why haven't there been more major outbreaks in the more prominent countries of the world?"

"Worldwide intelligence agencies have been monitoring potential biological warfare development for decades. Many operations and plans have been thwarted throughout the world without any reports. It would be severely alarming to know how many operations were devised to destroy major world powers."

"But you know how many there have been, don't you?"

"I only know what I'm told, and that in itself is very alarming. However, the more alarming aspect of the biological warfare is that it has become so much more sophisticated."

"How so?"

"In order to operate covertly it requires a believable cover under which to operate. Let's face it, if your installation is geared only toward biological warfare, then it's fairly easy to spot. However, if you are masking your operation within an environment that is doing cancer research, for example, then it it's much harder to detect."

"Are you saying that pharmaceutical companies and research facilities are engaging in biological warfare?"

"I'm afraid so. There is some cutting edge cancer research that is using viruses to help combat certain cancers. The preliminary results are encouraging, and some methods are being considered for clinical trials."

"Are these clinical trials masking the testing of biological warfare?"

"Oh, not at all! That would be far too easy to detect. Instead, some of the labs that are engineering the viruses and mutating them also have strains that are designated for other purposes. The interesting thing is that the scientists involved have absolutely no idea what the purpose for these viral strains are. There are covert government contracts that have sweetened the pot for pharmaceutical companies to participate in this research."

"Are the pharmaceutical companies in on the biological warfare?"

"Unwittingly so, they really don't know the purposes for the strains that they are creating. They merely follow protocol for development and then pass the product to government laboratories at the Center for Disease Control. The viruses are then packaged to deliver in the prescribed manner conducive for the virus and sent to a government operative to distribute in a testing ground."

"Then the testing ground is either Africa or some third world country?"

"That all depends on the effects of the disease and where it can most efficiently be monitored. Another alarming fact is that not all of the effects of these viruses are nearly as noticeable as Ebola, HIV or Zika. The one that we are about to discuss is a fairly new strain that has a very subtle effect on humans. It's communicable in much the same manner as influenza."

"I'm afraid to ask, but where has this been tested?"

"This particular virus was tested on its intended target population, but before I explain where, let's talk about what it is, and then when you learn where it is, it will be even more alarming."

"You do this for dramatic effect, don't you?"

"Remember, I can read your mind. Of course I do."

"I still don't like this whole mind reading thing."

"Sorry, but it can't be helped. I don't have a choice."

"OK, so, tell me what this new virus does."

"All right, but first let me ask, have you ever heard of a drug called the Devil's Breath?'

"Not that I can recall."

"Well, it's an odorless, tasteless drug that can be administered via oral consumption or merely blown into a person's face. It takes only minutes to start acting. It's called scopolamine and comes from a very common tree in Colombia know as Borrachero, which in Spanish means drunkenness. It's considered to be the most dangerous drug in the world. It can be fatal in higher doses, and it causes the victim to lose his or her free will. Victims become like obedient robots and carry out the bidding of others. They will go anywhere and do anything. Women have been raped; people have willingly emptied bank accounts and handed over their money; victim's possessions have been taken, and the imagination soars with possibilities. Another alarming aspect of the drug is that it inhibits the transfer of short term memory to long term memory during the time that the victim is under the influence. Many wake up in bewilderment to discover that their wellbeing has been compromised in some fashion. The effects can last two to three days with one exposure. It's actually used in some prescription medications for motion sickness and Parkinson's treatment at much lower concentrations."

"Let me get this straight. The Creator will not interfere with our free will, but someone possessing this drug can?"

"For a limited period, yes, it appears that they can."

"No wonder it's called Devil's Breath. Is this being used as some sort of biological warfare?"

"Actually, no, it's not, but it has inspired some to develop a virus that could potentially do the same thing."

"Were they successful in creating a virus that removes a person's free will?"

"Not exactly, but what they did develop is a virus that attacks the frontal lobe of the brain and impairs judgment."

"What's the effect of poor judgment?"

"Well, it wreaks havoc on a society when transmitted to a large percentage of the populace."

"And you're about to tell me where this happened, right?"

"I sure am. I know that you are aware of the population control in India. The most prevalent method in previous years was sterilization, mostly of females. However, abortion and even murder of newborn females were conducted, which caused a gender imbalance."

"Wait a minute. This is sounding strangely familiar. The prescendants had something to do with this, didn't they?"

"Of course they did, but remember, once they are here, they forget their former state and memories of their agreements. At any rate, they realized that if they didn't take action in some manner then the population would increase to unmanageable proportions to the point where there wouldn't be enough resources."

"OK, but what about the virus that affects people's judgment?"

"Well, most of the more educated populace of India chose to voluntarily curtail the size of their families to help slow the population growth; however, when the virus was introduced, better judgment diminished, and the birth rate began to skyrocket."

"Then that's what caused the recent population explosion in India."

"Precisely."

"So, who's behind the virus that caused this in India?"

"Pakistan, of course! They have been at odds with India over the land of Kashmir, which was never given to either country when the British pulled out in 1947. India and Pakistan have been fighting over the land ever since, wanting the resources that it provides."

"Does India suspect that they have been attacked with biological warfare?"

"Not at all, no one is sick. They just lost their better judgment."

"If this spreads like influenza, what's to keep the rest of the world from being affected?"

"Well, vaccinations, for one."

"And you're going to tell me that only the Pakistanis have been vaccinated."

"You do catch on fast."

"When and how did they unleash this virus?"

"Well, that's an interesting story. First, you must understand one drawback to the virus which they couldn't seem to overcome. Although they were able to make the virus communicable for an indefinite period once a person is infected, there was one inherent flaw in the transmission of the virus. If a potential victim achieved a blood alcohol concentration of at least .02 within the first twenty-four hours of exposure, he wouldn't contract the disease."

"Then the Irish have no fear of this virus, correct?"

"Amusing, but possibly true. At any rate, the virus cannot live outside the human body for more than a few minutes, so it would be necessary to come in contact with an infected person at least twenty-four hours before or after a potential victim maintained a blood alcohol level of at least .02."

"Then this virus would prove to be more effective in areas where alcohol was illegal."

"In essence, that is true. At least the virus would spread much quicker among those who did not drink."

"So, what chances do we have to come in contact with this virus?"

"That's a good question, because it is spreading throughout the world on a consistent basis. The interesting aspect is that if you are drinking you can't contract the virus, but your judgment is already impaired from the alcohol. However, one who drinks can get sober, whereas the virus resides in the central nervous system and never completely goes away. It can go dormant for a period, much like herpes, but then it can rear its ugly head at any time, causing poor judgment during that period."

"So Adriel, even though there is an intermittent effect with this virus, it would eventually undermine a society by gradually breaking down its judicial, executive, and military components."

"Absolutely! Any country possessing the vaccine would eventually dominate the world by manipulating other countries that suffered poor judgment."

"Well, I can appreciate the ingenuity of this plan, but where does the nuclear threat come in?"

"Well, that now brings us to the more immediate problem. With the lack of better judgment, the possibility and likelihood of nuclear war is introduced, and in this case it is about to happen. India is reacting to poor judgment at all levels. The population is out of control, and the drastic measures that they have incorporated to help deter the population explosion are inadequate. They are desperate to expand their borders and resources, so now they intend to take not only Kashmir, but Pakistan as well."

"Did Pakistan suspect that nuclear war would result?"

"Actually, they did, but not initiated by India. The allies of Pakistan are transactional, because Pakistan offers no long term benefit to another country. Pakistan's goal is to outrage the United Nations and all of their allies by exposing India's plan to invade Kashmir and Pakistan."

"But that sounds like nuclear war won't actually come to fruition. It just makes India look impulsive."

"Perhaps, but Pakistan fully intends to retaliate with nuclear weapons. They have built an impressive arsenal of smaller nuclear weapons that are scattered near the border of India. Remember, Pakistan is counting on being able to dominate the global situation with better judgment capabilities. Even if other leaders haven't been affected yet by the virus, it would still be nearly impossible to thwart the nuclear conflict between the two countries. The resulting war will polarize the allies on both sides to take a stand and eventually get involved to try to stop the crisis. The result will be a nuclear holocaust of global proportions."

"How in the world do you intend to stop this train wreck? I mean, are you sure that you're supposed to get involved?"

"Well, Eddie, I haven't received any direct orders, if that's what you mean. My assumption is that having the knowledge makes me responsible."

"I'm really uncomfortable with the word 'assumption' when it pertains to a nuclear conflict. You need to make sure that you know what you're doing before you take any action, whatever that might be. I actually don't have a clue as to how you are going to accomplish this."

"Knowledge is power, and right now I'm armed with an inconceivable amount of knowledge in all areas."

"Maybe so, Adriel, but I have several questions about all of this. Let's back up and start with when and how this virus was introduced."

"Very well. As I mentioned before, alcohol consumption can prevent the communication of the disease within a twenty four hour period. The virus was introduced to the islands of Lakshadweep off the mainland coast of India about two years ago. The islands are a very popular vacation spot and port for cruise ships. Interestingly, alcohol is not allowed on the islands, except for one, Bangaram Island. An inoculated Pakistani operative brought a vial of the virus on a cruise ship to one of the non-alcoholic islands and distributed it in a busy marketplace. All who came into contact with the virus within minutes of distribution were guaranteed to contract the disease."

"What about natural immunity? Are there people who are immune?"

"Another fascinating aspect of the virus is that there are no natural immunities. This is in part what makes it so effective."

"That sounds like such an obscure area to introduce the virus. It doesn't make sense to me."

"Actually it makes perfect sense. The islands are a very popular vacation spot. Anyone visiting the islands where there is no alcohol consumption is going to catch it. So, who is visiting the islands? Well, the wealthy and influential, that's who, and guess who's taking the virus home with them to spread to other government officials and affluent society?"

"I see what you mean. It makes more sense now. OK, so you said that many world leaders have been infected by this virus. Obviously, they didn't all vacation on those islands."

"How true, but many did attend the general assemblies of the United Nations, not to mention other political events where they contract and transmit this disease. In fact, it travels rather rapidly in those circles since they come in frequent contact with one another throughout the year."

"Then it's not so likely that the mechanic who works on my car has this disease, right?"

"True, but in time it will eventually spread to virtually everyone."

"Are there any cures for this virus?"

"Not yet, but you're going down the same path that I am at this point. It appears that the root of the problem is the virus itself. I need to find a way for someone to recognize the virus and develop a cure."

"So basically, this is where the whole idea comes in to contact world leaders by email. I can see why you think you need to relocate. This could get very dangerous."

"I agree. I need to be sure that I can work from a secure environment where I can't be traced or found. Did you get a chance to look at your software this weekend?"

"I did. I had forgotten how much progress that I had made. It does need to be upgraded, but it's doable. Actually, this could be a good testing ground. After all of this is over, I should be able to market it."

"Great, Eddie! I'd really like to get all of this started fairly soon. I have been looking into some possible locations."

"Well, before you get too far along, I think we need to establish your needs first so that you know what to look for."

"Very true. I think we need to find a place that has a backup generator to be sure that any power failures don't leave us dead in the water."

"Absolutely! It would be nice to have a backup ISP provider as well, because if you lose cable service, for example, you need an immediate alternate method to transmit."

"Let's have some additional laptop computers as well. We can't afford to get blindsided by failures in hardware as well as service."

"What do you mean 'we,' Adriel? I haven't signed up for this. This is your idea. I'm just helping you brainstorm a bit."

"True. Sorry, I guess I really can't see myself doing this alone. I mean the communications part is right up your alley. I'm more of a software analyst than a data communications expert, which brings me to the point where I need to ask. Is there any possible way that you could assist me in this? I don't know anything about setting up servers or ISP backups or any of that stuff."

"I can walk you through all of that on the phone, Adriel. It's really not that difficult."

"Well, I discussed this whole mission with Evelyn on Saturday, and she's really worried for me to go alone. In fact she said that she hoped that you would go along with me. She's afraid that I'm going to get into some kind of trouble."

"That's only because she knows you, Adriel. I'm sure you'll get into some kind of trouble too, but I'm not your babysitter."

"Eddie this is an important mission. I can't afford to screw it up."

"OK, I'm curious. What do you think you're going to do to prevent this nuclear holocaust? I know you said that you need to communicate with world leaders, which by the way, might be a little difficult due to security and firewalls that might prevent you from getting your message through, but let's say you overcome all of that. What in the world do you intend to say to them?"

"Good question! I have no idea at this point. I need to ponder and maybe ask whomever is communicating with me, which is probably the overseers."

"I thought we couldn't communicate with the overseers."

"That's true in our prescendant state, but once we descend, they are the chief communicators. Their task is mainly to watch over the souls who have descended."

"So, you're not sure that prescendants can communicate with us, right? I mean in all of your explanations about the prescendants watching what's happening on earth I never heard you mention any communication between the prescendants and the descendants."

"Good point, Eddie! I guess I never really thought about that, but I can't recall that we ever had the opportunity to communicate with them when we were watching."

"What about ghosts in this world? Could they be prescendant souls?"

"No, we could never enter this realm prior to descent. I don't recall any ghost-like activity during our observations, but then again as observers we probably wouldn't notice things like that, not to mention that they are relatively rare. My guess is that the ascendants from upward dimensions might have dipped back into the third dimension, but I'm not sure about that."

"Well, the ghost stories that I have heard seem to explain the phenomenon of people who died to some relatable communication with the ghost, like a family member. So, maybe it's the ascendants relating these things to you."

"I don't know. It seems odd to me that ascendants would get involved since they have already been here. The prescendants are the ones who are affected by a cataclysmic nuclear event on the earth, because it affects their descent. This could potentially destroy all human life on the planet. I'm not sure how extensive it will be, but from what I'm receiving, it's bad enough to warrant an intervention."

"It's starting to sound to me that it's more like the Creator or the overseers who are communicating this to you."

"Sounds reasonable, but I really don't know. There are a lot of unknowns in this universe of dimensions. I have just related to you what I can remember, and even that was dished out to me by someone who may not have disclosed it all."

"Yeah, as much as you do know, Adriel, it sure seems like we're working in the dark here."

"I'm afraid so, but we just have to do the best with what we have."

"I need to get this straight. Are you saying beyond a shadow of a doubt that if you do nothing the world will be plunged into nuclear holocaust? Is that what they told you?"

"Well, not that succinctly, but yes, in so many words. I'm not making all of this up."

"OK, so before we start identifying equipment, services, and finding a command center, could you please explain to me how you got this calling? It's not that I'm doubting you, but I would really like to know how this works."

"Well, as I was explaining weeks ago, I realized that I wasn't reading other people's memories, but I was remembering things from my prescendant state. The interesting aspect to this is that I cannot differentiate between my own memories and what is being communicated. For example, I seem to have a memory of your brother and your favorite toy that I explained to you before. It's not like someone told me, but it gets imprinted as my memory. Does that make sense?"

"Sort of, but if that's true, how do you know that you have memories at all? I mean, this whole thing could be communicated to you apart from your memory."

"I see what you mean, but I remember you and myself prior to our descent. I remember talking to all of those souls and meeting back up with you. That doesn't seem like something that was communicated. Maybe it has more to do with the telepathic communication that gets implanted in my mind and just seems like a memory. Obviously, there are things I couldn't possibly remember, but I know them. In those instances, it would seem logical that they are just communications. If I have a first hand memory, then it seems logical that they are memories. That just makes sense to me."

"So then, Adriel, does it seem like a memory that the world is in danger? I'm not sure I get it."

"Let me back up a bit. I have been receiving so much information for the last several weeks that it has been overwhelming. For some reason, it's impossible for me to forget what I have received. Somewhere along the way, I became aware of people's thoughts from all over the world. It's like tapping into some data network and streaming all kinds of communications into my head."

"Wouldn't the knowledge of so many thoughts get buried under hundreds of thousands of thoughts that you are receiving?"

"First of all it's not thousands, it's billions, and each one is unique like a child. It's impossible to overlook one. OK, I'm going to freak you out right now. You're thinking that if you can prove that I'm wrong about this, then we can save a lot of time by just forgetting about all of this. I don't even have to have you confirm that."

"Oh my god! Are you going to start reading my thoughts now?"

"I can't help it. It's impossible for you to lie to me. Either I'm reading your thoughts, just like in the prescendant state, or someone is telling me what you're thinking. Either way, it works."

"Damn! I don't want anyone reading my thoughts! They're not always good, and they're private!"

"Calm down. You don't think you're more depraved than I am, do you?"

"Well, now that you put it that way, I'm rather glad that the shoe isn't on the other foot. I certainly don't want to know what you're thinking most of the time."

"Touché! Nobody wants to get inside this head of mine!

"Hey! Do you think you can read everyone's mind? Oh, oh! You're smiling."

"Well, I have been able to read Evelyn's mind lately. She thinks I have become the most sensitive and intuitive husband on the planet."

"Haha! We always said that women want men to read their minds."

"Well, that is a fact, indeed. By the way, it's really not that complicated. If we just listened more to what they are saying, we'd probably figure it out on our own. I don't think women are as mysterious as men think. I think men are deaf and blind when it comes to women, and most are just plain dumb."

"Sort of like our 97% rule, huh?"

"In this case I'd say it's more like a 99.99% rule. Men are incredibly obtuse when it comes to women."

"Well, I'll remember that if I ever end up in another relationship. Right now it's nice being free and doing what I want when I want."

"I hear you, but at my age it's nice to have Evelyn by my side. Besides, I never go anywhere. I like the freedom of being home."

"Yeah, you're a really exciting guy."

"It's a good thing my wife loves me."

"That's for sure! Anyway, getting back to this whole thing of someone communicating with you, did someone tell you to set up a command center, or was that your idea?"

"That's my idea. I'm trying to figure out how we can do this without being detected or interrupted, and especially not endangering my family."

"That brings up another question. What about your children? Aren't they going to wonder where you are?"

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that. That's going to be tricky. I talk to them almost weekly. I better work on that problem somehow."

"Well, I don't see how you're going to disappear for possibly months on end without your family wondering where you are."

"You're probably right. I hate to lie to them, but I would also hate to give them this knowledge. I could tell them that I have a long term project that requires me to be away from home. The problem is that they will ask about the project, and I wouldn't know what to tell them."

"How do you know that you're going about this the right way?"

"Well, I really don't. I don't know what else to do."

"You said before that none of this has happened to you by your own volition or effort. Suppose that's the way you're expected to handle this whole thing. Maybe if you just listen, whoever is communicating with you will give you the answers."

"I suppose that's a possibility, but you're still trying to get out of this whole command center idea."

"I'll admit that I am, Adriel, but I would be willing to jump in with both feet if I had more confidence that your plan is the right thing to do."

"Well, we need to sleep on it; that's for sure. I just don't want to waste valuable time."

"I understand. We can do a fair amount of research before you pull the trigger on this thing. We can estimate costs and software development necessities and check around for potential command centers. However, we don't need to make any commitments yet."

"I agree, Eddie. That all makes perfect sense. At least we can still make progress, and if I do find another way, there's no harm or loss."

"Exactly, Adriel!"

"You know, it's interesting that here we are in this predicament, and in the past I would have thought that something this major would be handled by the Creator. It's like what I said about Hitler. He didn't look for another alternative, and the Creator didn't stop him. I mean, if the Creator can't interfere with anyone's free will, and they got to choose how long they would live, then it makes sense that these things happen."

"Too true, and who knows? Maybe the United States' involvement in World War II was the way in which the Creator intended to stop him."

"Could be, but now I understand things like this a lot better. If we get to choose how long we will live, then Hitler would have died by some means at the same time. If you follow that line of reasoning then it gets very disturbing."

"Yeah, I see what you mean, Adriel, but all of those lives lost were the result of choice, don't forget."

"Wow! It's really hard to keep all of this straight. We have been trained to view things as cause and effect, and the whole time we have been misappropriating the cause."

"We haven't had such major paradigm shifts in a long time, Adriel. I think we were becoming rather complacent in our estimation of Truth."

"How true, Eddie! Well, I really need to get home, so why don't we wait till next week before we move on."

"Sounds good. See you next week."

I was really glad that Eddie was being objective. I didn't blame him for wanting to test my plan. I needed him for more than just the data communications aspect. He's a lot more level headed than I am, but then again most folks are. I liked his idea of waiting to see if this whole solution got handed to me. Like he said, It did make sense that if I didn't initiate any aspect of this, then what would make me think that I had to figure it out? Just the same, I felt like I should be doing something.
Wednesday, October 24, 6:15 PM

"I guess it's my turn to be late. Evelyn and I were talking, and time got away from me."

"No problem! I was talking to Noriko for a while."

"Listen, Eddie. I have some very disturbing news."

"Gee, why am I not surprised? It seems that all you ever have anymore is disturbing news."

"That may be true, but this throws a nasty wrench in the works."

"All we have are wrenches. So, what's one more? Is this what you and Evelyn were talking about?"

"Goodness no! She doesn't know the half of what's going on. Last night, I received more information that conflicts with what I received previously. If these are overseers that are communicating with me, something doesn't add up."

"So, now you're doubting your sources."

"I sure am. I was told that the virus is a hoax. Not only that, but it's not Pakistan who is instigating this, but India instead."

"Wait a minute. You cited the population increase in India as the result of the virus."

"Well, what I'm receiving now is that they are unrelated."

"You do realize that you're destroying your credibility with me, don't you?"

"I can't help that. I have to figure this out."

"Maybe you really are a nut case and haven't figured that one out yet."

"Doubtful! I can still read your mind and everyone else's for that matter."

"Then why can't you read the mind of who's communicating with you?"

"Because, I can only read a descendant's mind. I'm not sure who I'm dealing with now."

"This throws the whole nuclear war problem into suspicion, Adriel. How could you possibly know what's real at this point?"

"I'm not receiving any conflicting information on the nuclear aspect as far as the likelihood of war. I'm getting mixed signals concerning the virus."

"Maybe you have the virus now that you quit drinking. Your judgment has always been impaired for as long as I've known you; so, I'd say you were born with this disease." Eddie was sporting his wide grin.

"Look! This is really serious, Eddie. I was planning on finding a cure for the virus as my first step, and now I'm hearing that there is no virus. I don't have the luxury of time here. I need some definitive answers, and I'm not sure where to start looking."

"Well, I know that you can read my mind, but I'm going to say it anyway. Now isn't the time for dissension. We need to put our heads together and figure this out. Is there any way that you can determine if someone has the virus?"

"I don't know how without blood tests, and I doubt that clinicians would be able to detect it. They've never encountered it before."

"What if you read people's minds? Could you detect poor judgment?"

"Are you serious? We've already recognized the 97% rule. I can detect if they're idiots, for sure, but I doubt that I could single out poor judgment that is out of character."

"OK. I have an idea. You said that you could read anyone's mind in the world if you concentrated."

"I said that was an oversimplification, but go on. Never mind. I just read your mind, and I know where you're going with this. That's not a bad idea. I need to corroborate the virus by finding the Pakistani operative, if there is one, and read his mind."

"Wow! I will never get used to this whole mind reading thing, but yeah, that's what I was thinking."

"I'm not sure where to start, but like my dad used to tell me, 'Always start at the top.' I guess I'll target the Prime Minister of Pakistan and see what I can find."

"So, are you going to do that now? Can I watch?"

"No, I'm not going to do it right now, and no, you can't watch. I will need to be able to concentrate in total silence. If Evelyn and I turn off the television before ten o'clock tonight, I could feasibly make contact with his thoughts around the time that he gets up tomorrow morning."

"You actually know what time it is in Pakistan?"

"Of course I do. Don't ask me what else I know. Spare yourself."

"Did you have to concentrate on Hillary Clinton's underwear to know the color?"

"OK, you're sick! There is an unbelievable amount of information streamed to me from all over the world. I can't filter it out. I just know things. I've never had to find out something specific before by targeting a particular person. This is new ground, but I'm beginning to think that I better figure out how to do this very soon, because I think I'm going to be doing a lot of it in the near future."

"You've lost your sense of humor, buddy. Chill out. How do you think you'll find this guy?"

"Well, I'm not sure. I guess I'll just start concentrating on him and see what happens."

"This is starting to sound like your meditation sessions that led nowhere."

"Do you have any better suggestions?"

"Hey! I do have an idea. Why don't you try communicating to me telepathically? If you receive thoughts, maybe you can transmit them."

"I never really thought of that. I suppose it's worth a try."

"OK, Adriel, you try to project a thought into my brain."

"Are you sure there's enough room in there, Eddie?"

"You're not supposed to talk, just project."

"I'm projecting."

"I think I'm getting something, Adriel. It's vague, but I think it's coming in clearer. I almost have it. All right, you're telling me that you think we're going to be successful in solving this problem, right?"

"Not even close. Apparently I can't project thought."

"Then what thought were you trying to project?"

"That I think your idea is worthless."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously!"

"Well, I guess that idea is out the window."

"I'll see what I can do to find this guy's thoughts tonight. I'll let you know what I find out tomorrow. I'll give you a call."

"You know, I think we're at the point where we need to start meeting more frequently."

"You're probably right, but Evelyn isn't going to go for me leaving the house more than one evening a week. We'll figure something out."

"Well, until we come up with a good plan on how you're going to proceed with this, I can start looking for some places to set up your command center."

"Actually, I started looking for places on Saturday using the universal connectivity that I have."

"You know, I can't get used to the idea that you're a walking Google head."

"I've been called a lot of things in my life, but that's a new one."

"Oh my god! You should see the absolutely gorgeous girl who just came in with a guy who seems like such a mismatch. She's so beautiful, and he's so homely. He must either be rich or extremely well endowed."

"It's her brother, Eddie."

"You didn't even look at them. They were behind you the whole time out of your sight. How could you possibly know that."

"I don't have to see them. They're from Nicaragua. They moved here about two years ago. She married a lawyer whom she met while he was on a mission trip to her country. They live on the northside of town. Please don't do that again."

"Do what?"

"Start surmising other people's relationships. I know all about them, and I don't want to share everyone's life with you. This isn't a parlor game."

"I had no intention of asking you about them. I just made a comment."

"Let's just focus on our immediate problem and not get distracted."

"You're not nearly as much fun as you used to be, Adriel."

"I can't help that. The more I know about people, the less humorous everything seems. I know the suffering and pain that they endure each day due to guilt, shame, unforgiveness, anger, fear, lack of love, desperation, betrayal, abuse, disappointment, hardship, and dozens of other emotional maladies. I see people blame the Creator for their circumstances, when it is he who wants to comfort and heal them with his love and change their perspective on life. If they would only look to him for their guidance, stability, provision, love, and trust, they would find such a relief, but they are hardened by the cynicism of this world. There's really not much to laugh about, Eddie."

"You can't go around being burdened all the time because of other people's attitudes. You'll be miserable."

"Said from someone who can't see any of this. If everyone knew how sad the state of humanity was, they would give up."

"I don't know. I don't see people looking like they are suffering so much."

"You wouldn't believe what masks they wear. They are largely hypocrites, actors in life, feeling desperate to be loved. They turn to dysfunctional, codependent relationships that are doomed to prove to them that they are unworthy of love, validating their poor self images and destroying those around them emotionally."

"Good Lord! You're bringing me down, and for no good reason. I don't want to know those things about other people. Can't you just ignore it?"

"Can you turn away from someone being beaten and robbed on the street? Some can. There are some pretty calloused folks out there, that's for sure, but I'm not one of them."

"You can't go around saving the world either. OK, that was a poor choice of words, but you know what I mean."

"Saving the world is exactly what I'm called to do, and I'm not sure where that line is drawn, but I'm pretty sure we're going to find out."

"Well, I think we need to call it a night. You probably need to talk to Evelyn about your intended arrangements, because I have the feeling that it's going to be sooner than later, especially with your keen sense of cosmic radar."

"You're probably right. Although I wish my radar were a lot more keen. I'm still puzzled about the conflicting communication concerning the virus."

"You'll figure it out. I have confidence in you."

Eddie was right. I needed to temper my attitude. I suppose it's like someone who works in the hospital emergency room. They see so much trauma and death. They have to be able to learn to handle it. I guess I just needed to learn to deal with what I saw and knew. The difference was that nothing was hidden from me as far as I could tell. If there were more to see, then I really didn't want to see it. I felt so pressured and confused at this point. I didn't have a lot of time, and I still didn't have a good plan. I thought I did, but at this point I didn't know. What would I tell someone in my situation? I would probably encourage him to trust the Creator, because he would provide everything that was needed.
Thursday, October 25, 10:00 AM

"Hey, Eddie! It's Adriel."

"Oh, hi! I forgot that you were going to call to let me know how your mental contact went last night."

"Yes, it went very well. Evelyn and I turned out the lights to go to sleep around 10:30 last night. Finding the Prime Minister was a piece of cake."

"So, is the virus a hoax or not?"

"As you might imagine, it's not quite that simple. I can only read his current thoughts. I can't access his entire memory, but that gave me an idea. If I can communicate with anyone in the world, no matter what the medium is, whether telephone, email, text, or whatever, I can cause a subject to come to the front of his mind and read his thoughts. Anyway, I followed his thoughts for about two hours before I fell asleep. This will be much more efficient if I can establish communication."

"How in the world do you expect to make contact with the Prime Minister of Pakistan?"

"Well, if I start networking off of some of the folks that he comes in contact with, which I have already done, I should be able to follow a thread that will lead to a possible link. Believe it or not, I'm not that far from it right now. I just need some more time when I'm not so susceptible to falling asleep."

"It sounds like you need that command center. So, what's our next move?"

"Well, I want to spend some more time exercising my access to people around the world. I'm going to need to communicate with several world leaders, and I can spend my time right now finding the pathways for communication. Once I establish the methods, I can document them all to give you a clearer idea of what we will need to set up communications. I may even be able to learn some of the security clearances that we need."

"Well, I guarantee that will be essential. I can set up the covert communication, but I doubt that I can unlock the doors of security, especially at the higher levels."

"That should be easy for me. I'll just read the security codes from the thoughts of those who use them."

"Be sure to take organized notes. We're going to need them, and by the way, those codes will change daily, if not more. It just depends on the security level. How much time do you think you need to gather the information?"

"That all depends. I'm not sure how much information I will need, but if I start kicking around out there, I hope to solidify the plans. I just need the opportunity. Dealing with people who are ten hours ahead of us on the clock can be challenging. I'm not sure when I can sleep, and I need to work too."

"All right. What about trying to make contact with the overseers, or whoever has been giving you conflicting information? Have you tried anything like that?"

"Not yet, because I'm not sure where to start. I have no identification on them, so I don't know how to access them. It's like trying to call someone without a phone number."

"Can you communicate the next time they send you information?"

"I am receiving information constantly. It would be like trying to communicate with the New York Stock Exchange reports. There's no way to get a word in edgewise, so to speak."

"I'm getting concerned about this conflicting information that you're receiving. You have only detected the discrepancy in the validation of the virus. I wonder what other data might be erroneous."

"Good question! All I know to do is look for discrepancies in what I know."

"Give me some more information about the conflict. That happened two nights ago, right?"

"Yes, it was Tuesday."

"How did the information come to you? Was it as elaborate as the rest of what you related to me?"

"Actually, no it wasn't. It was more like a warning without explanation."

"All right, that makes me really suspicious. I would expect that if someone were trying to correct your path, they would give you more detailed information about the clarification and how the original message was wrong."

"Hmm... that's a good point. What if someone is trying to derail my efforts?"

"Well, that's a little frightening that we might have opposition in a super-dimensional realm. You also said that they told you it was India who was the perpetrator rather than Pakistan. Can you verify any of that?"

"That's another good idea! I'll see what I can find out."

"OK, keep me informed."

"All right. Talk to you later."
Friday, October 26, 10:30 AM

Evelyn was working from home today, so we slept in a bit before I made breakfast. I wanted to give Eddie time to get started for the day before I gave him a call.

"Good morning, Eddie! It's me with more news."

"Well, I hope that it's good news for once."

"That depends. I am able to get security codes to our federal government. Contacting the president is easier than you would imagine. I can obtain clearance codes, cell phone numbers and passwords, gate combinations, secret service schedules, names, addresses, you name it. It's a piece of cake."

"Easy as pie, huh?"

"Yep, it's cake and pie."

"How about contacting the prime ministers of Pakistan and India?"

"I'll need some more time. I was just practicing with an environment that I am more familiar with and happens to be more in my time zone. I think we can do this, but I don't want to send any transmissions from my personal devices. We're going to need some untraceable phones and laptops for starters."

"I figured as much. When do you want to start purchasing these items?"

"Well, that's just it. I don't have a lot of ready cash, and I don't want to run up charge bills that can be traced."

"I've been giving this a lot of thought, Adriel. I know that you need my help, and if I agree to do this, I want you to promise that you won't do anything stupid, and that you will discuss everything with me."

"Of course I agree. I really appreciate your support. I was wondering how I was going to accomplish all of this on my own."

"Well, for starters, Adriel, I have plenty of money. I can start drawing cash. We just need to keep all purchases and transactions under $10,000."

"I understand that, Eddie. I don't think we'll need an amount even close to that for initial purchases. Listen, I have an idea, and I'm embarrassed to even mention it."

"What's your idea? You can tell me anything."

"There is an upcoming IPO for a company that is just getting off the ground called Iconosystems. They are about to announce a new product called Autopilot. It's an incredible system for the hi-tech homeowner. It virtually takes all of your tasks and performs them according to your specifications. You buy a license and access it from the Internet. It walks you through a questionnaire that takes about eight hours to complete depending on how much information you have. I know it sounds scary and exposing, but it works beautifully at protecting your identity and assets. Once you set this up in a day, you could leave for years, and all of your bills, bank accounts, taxes, home control, and just about anything you can think of is taken care of. It's like having a personal assistant on call 24/7."

"Isn't there something like this already on the market?"

"Not to this extent! You give it bank account numbers, and it accesses your accounts, your bill payments, your credit card information, loan balances, tax information, home security, and anything you have ever paid from your bank accounts or credit cards. It accesses your creditor information, employment income, everything. It files your taxes for you at the most opportune time without intervention. It notifies you of everything that it does by whatever medium you choose, whether telephone, text, email, etc. You can access all activity on a secure web site. If you have a vacation scheduled, you let Autopilot know when and where. It books the best airfare and hotel or condo accommodations, rental car, etc. It will book any kind of a vacation anywhere. You can tell it about a vacation planned years in advance, and it will start looking for the best deals and trade out better deals as they come available without suffering any penalties. That's just a portion of what it does. It's incredible."

"I see where you're going with this. You know this could be considered insider trading, don't you?"

"That's why I'm embarrassed. Given our upcoming expenses, it's very tempting. Actually, with what I know it's getting impossible to make a move without an unfair advantage."

"Let's not worry about the financial aspect right now. I've been thinking about your current situation. You seem to be in a bit of a tailspin about the conflicting direction that you've been given. We talked yesterday about the feasibility of this conflicting message. I got to thinking about time past when we suspicioned that the organized religious structure was flawed. Somehow, it didn't seem to make sense. We were younger and thought that maybe we were not understanding something correctly. It reminds me of the story of the mother and father who attended a parade because their son was in the marching band. When the band marched past, the mother exclaimed, 'Oh look! Everyone's out of step but Johnny!' At first, we couldn't be like the mother and realize that everyone else was wrong. After time, it became obvious that the structure was flawed, so we pulled away and started meeting in homes. Before long, we came to realize that even that was flawed. It's like the chosen one said, 'Where two or three are gathered, I am with them.' We came to understand that any group beyond three lent itself to crosstalk, distraction and problematic occurrences that we couldn't have with two or three. We are in a similar situation here with a conflict that I think we can determine without having to go through all of your searching to prove if it's true. I think your first inclination is correct, just as ours was in the beginning. I think we should proceed with your original stance that the virus was engineered by Pakistan."

"You're probably right. We can't afford to spend a lot of time verifying the message. However, I would like to find out how I received a conflicting direction."

"I understand that, but I think we need to move forward in your initial direction. This coming Wednesday we need to start making a list of everything that we need to purchase. You need to find a place where we can relocate. Let's discuss all of this during our next meeting."

"Sounds fair. I'll talk to you later."

I had to admit that I was feeling very uncomfortable at this point. It was like driving during a horrible thunderstorm at night to go rescue someone, and a person waves you down to tell you that the bridge is out up ahead, and that you can't see it before it's too late. So often, I have just wanted to go back to my boring, uneventful life where I knew what to expect each day when I woke up, but I didn't have that option.
Wednesday, October 31, 6:00 PM

I brought an agenda of objectives with me tonight that I hoped would inspire us to create the list of necessities. I also had been on the prowl to find a command center, and I had a few alternatives that I needed to discuss with Eddie. I was getting a little nervous about the prospect of leaving the comfort of my own home to live elsewhere for an undetermined amount of time.

"Hi, Noriko! I'll just have my usual order with a diet cola. Thanks. I'm sure Eddie will be here any minute."

Actually, Eddie was later than I anticipated. I was on my second diet cola, and I hoped that the caffeine would not keep me awake tonight. Finally, Eddie arrived. "Hey, Adriel! Sorry, I'm late as usual. I have been doing some research on some of the equipment that I thought we might need. I can get a fairly good deal from some of my employer's vendors even on a personal basis."

"Just as long as it doesn't arouse suspicion."

Eddie slid into his seat. "I doubt it. I told them I was helping a friend set up a network center."

"Good! I don't want any loose ends. We can't afford it."

"I agree. So, any updates since we talked last?"

"Well, I brought an agenda that I wanted to run by you tonight to see what you think. I have an extra copy here."

"Organized. I like that, Adriel."

"I'm probably more paranoid than organized, but whatever works. My first concern is where the command center should be. I have found some excellent places in highly populated areas and some in very remote areas. I wasn't sure from a covert standpoint which would be best."

"Well, Adriel, from what I have gathered from your ideas so far, I would suggest a highly populated area. It's much easier to hide among a flurry of data transmission than being isolated in a remote area."

"OK, I'll make note of that. Also, do you prefer a residence or commercial property?"

"Hmm... Let me think for a minute. If we leave cost out of the consideration, then I would prefer a commercial venue, simply because I think if by some unforeseen circumstance that we were traced, they would go to the command center. If we weren't living there, that would give us time to escape. In addition, we appear more as a business."

"Yeah, but I'm not planning to open a business."

"No matter. We can operate as a sole proprietorship. Vendors just want to get paid, and if our needs are justified by our appearances, it won't raise any unwanted questions or curiosity."

"OK, I'll make another note."

"On that note, no pun intended, where do you expect to live?"

"Actually, Eddie, you'd be surprised at what I found for residences in various areas. There are a considerable number of really nice properties that are for private rental by people who have multiple residences and don't want to rely on management companies to find renters. Many are fairly inexpensive due to the fact that they just want someone to occupy their property and help maintain it."

"Sweet! How did you find those?"

"I step-stoned my way through people's thoughts starting with realtors to management company marketers to homeowners. It's easier than you would imagine. In fact, it's a little scary sometimes how easy it is."

"I like easy, Adriel. I wish my end were so. I will need to write some virus-like software to meet your needs. There's a lot of low-level programming necessary to build a data communication protocol that will operate in stealth mode and then hook up on the other end without detection. I'm going to need your help with some of the protocol requirements, which I hope that you can get from the right technical people."

"Wow! Sounds like a movie plot. You'll have to let me know what you need, and I'll start kicking around out there in the thought world."

"This is so weird. You will be giving me information that most likely will not make sense to you."

"That really doesn't sound like anything new at this point after what I've experienced."

"Probably so, but I'm still trying to get up to speed on all of this."

"So, at some point we're going to have to talk about the financing. I know you consider my idea about the IPO to be insider trading, but honestly, with what I know I have an advantage in every situation. We could get into and out of the market so fast with tens of thousands of dollars."

"I never thought I'd hear you talk like this. You have refused to invest all of your life, and now you're talking like some greedy Wall Street person."

"Too true. I never thought I'd say these things, but I've never had such knowledge. I guess it goes back to my premise that under the right circumstances anyone will do anything."

"Let's stop considering the market. I have plenty of money socked away, and if we fail, what does it matter anyway?"

"Gosh, Eddie! I hate for you to spend your money on my endeavor. It feels strange."

"Well, you may think this is your endeavor, but from where I stand it appears that we're equal partners. Don't worry about the money."

"I just hope I can make it up to you someday."

"Listen. If you really do end up saving the world from nuclear disaster, then on behalf of my nieces and nephews, I would say that you more than made it up to me."

"I appreciate that, Eddie. You know I'll do my best."

"There's something that I need to ask you. I'm still trying to understand all of the things that you told me about the negotiating process and choosing how long we live. It seems rather moot that if everyone chose their lifespan, then why do we have to intervene here? Obviously, if the prescendants that now exist on this earth are from some group that decided to die at a certain time, then we could be wasting our time. By the same token, if the prescendants who are on the earth right now chose a longer lifespan, wouldn't it all turn out anyway, even if we did nothing?"

"I follow your line of thinking, which is a more prescendant perspective. Congratulations on that, but we're not prescendants anymore, and we're blinded here. Just like the United States stepped into World War II and helped save Europe, we may have been brought into this situation much the same way. If the Creator decided to use us, then that's why we're in this predicament. Remember, he won't interfere with anyone's free will, but he will certainly react to it. It appears that we are part of his reaction to the free will of the perpetrators in South Asia."

"I keep trying to make sense out of this. You once said that you and I were looking for a time to descend that would be during a period of great change."

"That's true! We were looking for a challenge."

"Do you think we negotiated to save the world?"

"That's a good question. I have no idea, but that certainly would make a lot of sense. I didn't initiate any of this, but I still have free will to choose what to do with it. It's like the investment thing. I could use this for my own selfish gain, which I don't want to do, or I could use this to benefit others, which is what I hope I do."

"Well, from what you told me about us before we descended, I would venture to say that we went into negotiations with some grandiose plan that we cooked up."

"Sounds like us, Eddie. That wouldn't surprise me, but I don't remember such a thing. Then again, maybe that's withheld from my so-called memory. I don't know. Regardless, we have a job to do."

"OK, so, what are these prospective residences like?"

"Well, most of them are multi-million dollar homes with gated entrances, swimming pools, gymnasiums, home theaters and a lot more."

"You're joking!"

"No, I'm not. The owners aren't interested in the money. They are more interested in keeping someone in the home that they can trust to occupy and maintain it to some degree."

"Don't they have a staff of people to do that?"

"Not the ones that I have found. They are keeping their costs down. You'd think that they would want more money, but they do expect a level of responsibility and upkeep. It would be the same as if it were our place to maintain on a non-financial basis. We would need to keep things in good running order and report any problems to the owners."

"How much are we talking about per month?"

"Some are as low as a grand a month."

"No way!"

"Yep! Some of these families are in Europe for months on end and just want someone to keep things running without having to worry about irresponsible renters. They look for well established homeowners with families who need an extended stay and appreciate the break in rent. It's incredible."

"Well, if we're going to save the world, we might as well do it in style."

"I suppose, but I doubt that we will have much leisure time. Then again, I really don't know what to expect."

"Just guessing, how many months do you think it will take us to accomplish all of this? I really need a timeframe so that I can work things out with my alibi to my employer and family."

"Yeah, I need to do the same. I like the idea that we are going to help set up a network center, which is more your expertise than mine, but I could be lending my programming skills as well. It's all true, because I really don't want to lie about all of this to my family and coworkers. As far as guessing the time period, I'm really not sure."

"Are we planning any breaks anywhere?"

"I don't know. Like I said, I really don't know what to expect. I can't predict what is going to happen."

"I still can't believe that we're going to do this, Adriel. It seems like some weird dream."

"I know. I can always read your thoughts, but I'm trying to hide that, and I will as much as possible."

"Thanks, because I'd really like to forget that aspect of this. I will have to admit that if anyone were going to be able to read my thoughts, I would rather it be you than anyone else in this world."

"I appreciate that, but remember, the Creator, the overseers, the prescendants, and probably the ascendants can all read your thoughts at any time. So, this isn't nearly as invasive at it may seem."

"I really wish you hadn't brought them into this. I feel like an open book."

"For the most part, we all are."

"Well, it sounds like we both have our homework to do. I'll give you a call this week if I have any questions. Do you want me to go ahead and secure the equipment? I can defer shipping until we have an address."

"Well, we need to get things moving soon. If you don't have a preference in residences, I'll just choose one."

"Sounds good to me."

"Do you have preferences on commercial locations?"

"Just something cheap is all that I care about."

"I did find some really cheap units that don't have great business locations. Some have been vacant for over a year, and the landlord is desperate to get someone in. I know their bottom price. Like I said, this all seems so unfair. I can get the best deals on anything. You don't need to buy a car, do you?"

"Not today, but I'll keep that in mind."

"You don't consider that to be insider trading?"

"There's no law against buying a car with inside knowledge. I think we'll be okay there."

"Haha! OK, I'll give you a call this week when I know more."

I was scared, excited, apprehensive, on the verge of a panic attack, and constantly wondered if I were doing the right thing. I don't mean saving the world; I mean the way I thought that we should go about it. I would hate to spend so much of Eddie's money and then get some other direction from the overseers that wasted his resources. I would have a hard time living with that.

## **CHAPTER FOUR**

### **_The Plan_**
Friday, November 2, 1:30 PM

"Hi, Eddie! I was going to call earlier, but I realized that you were out to lunch."

"Yeah, my dad and I have lunch together every Friday."

"That's great that you have that opportunity."

"I really appreciate being able to work from home four days a week. It gives me the flexibility that I need to spend more time with my parents and other family members."

"Your absence could be a real blow to them. How do you think they will handle that?"

"Are you forgetting that I did volunteer work in Costa Rica for over a year several years back?"

"Oh, that's right. What am I thinking? This won't be nearly as long, but that was over ten years ago."

"True, but they're used to me going off on a whim to do things elsewhere. They'll be fine."

"Oh, good!"

"I'm more concerned about your situation, Adriel. How do you think your family will take it?"

"I don't know, but I hope that we can take some furlough time and go back home once in a while."

"Well, me too, but I'm just following your lead. It's too early to tell. I just hope this is as easy as some of the things that you've already experienced."

"Well, are you ready to pull the trigger on this thing, Eddie?"

"I guess so. What choice do we have?"

"OK, since you are handling the financial end of this, I will put you in contact with the commercial landlord. The property is in Orlando, Florida. Is that populated enough for you?"

"Perfect! We can hide amongst the data transmissions of Disney World. I love it!"

"Good! You're going to love the house I found. It's amazing. I'll send you all of the details."

"What's the negotiating price for the commercial site?"

"It's three dollars per square foot."

"No, seriously, what's the real price? I'm going to have to negotiate this, and I need a real number."

"That's the real number."

"Oh my god! This person really is desperate. How many square feet?"

"I figured that we didn't need a large place, so I found one that is 400 square feet."

"That's only $1,200 a month! What's the price of the house?"

"Are you sitting down? I hope so. They will let us stay for free according to their stipulations for upkeep and reporting. I explained that we have a business arrangement in the area that would require several months of our time. They were very excited when I explained our situations, and that we are both long term homeowners."

"This is incredible! I never dreamed that opportunities like this existed. Hey, wait a minute! You used a bogus email address, didn't you?"

"Of course I did. They wanted to know how I found them. I dropped a few names that they were familiar with as a friend of a friend of a friend. Actually, I'm going to let you handle the communication with the owners, since you will be handling the commercial property as well. I still can't get used to the fact that I can convince someone of practically anything. I could become dangerous. You can't find these deals on the Internet, because they use a networking method rather than getting inundated by untrustworthy individuals looking for good deals."

"This is incredible! Send me the information for the landlords, and I'll get the ball rolling. I have already put in the order for the equipment that we need."

"Great! It's time to get our alibis in place."

"I've already done that. You need to get moving. Did you mention to Evelyn that I'm involved?"

"Of course. I had to, and believe me, she's very relieved. I'll talk to her tonight about getting things squared away with the children. I'll need to contact my manager at work as well. He's a great guy. I shouldn't have a problem as long as I keep abreast of my responsibilities and meet my deadlines."

"What's our arrival date? I need to book our plane reservations."

"Our what?! I'm not flying!"

"You must be kidding me. Do you expect to drive to Orlando?"

"I certainly do. I can be there in a day by car. I'm not getting on a plane."

"This is unbelievable. I suppose you expect me to go with you to help drive."

"Of course I do. It'll be fun. We can sing songs, listen to audio books, play license plate games. You'll love it."

"You're insane. I'm not playing games or singing. Audio books might not be bad."

"You can choose the audio book. I'm not picky."

"No, you're just impossible! This might be more of a nightmare than I anticipated."

"Calm down, Eddie. We'll enjoy the trip."

"It's a stupid waste of time."

"Hey! I don't get on roller coasters, and I don't get on airplanes anymore. Believe me, you wouldn't want to fly with me. You'd regret it."

"I can't imagine being cooped up in a car with you for fourteen hours. You're always being redundant, repeating yourself, reiterating, and saying the same thing over and over."

"I do not."

"Yes, you do, all the time. I usually overlook it, but we're rarely together for more than a couple of hours. I'm sure there are a lot of things I'm going to regret."

"That may be, but we have work to do. Let's not quibble over the small stuff."

"Small stuff? Wait till I waste fourteen hours of your time, and we'll see what's small stuff. So, what day are we leaving? I assume we're taking your car."

"Of course we're taking my car. I wouldn't expect you to pay for everything and provide the transportation too. We should leave a week from tomorrow."

"That'll work! Let me know if I need to do anything else."

"Will do. Talk to you later."

I emailed my manager about the need to relocate for a few months to help a friend. He didn't ask a lot of questions and wasn't really very concerned where I worked. Since I already telecommute on a consistent basis, it really didn't matter. In fact, I probably could have done this without even letting him know, unless he wanted to schedule a lunch or something, which he never does. Nevertheless, I had that task out of the way.

Later that evening, I explained to Evelyn what the plans were. She tearfully accepted it all but made me promise to keep in touch daily. I agreed unless it became too dangerous. She said that she would handle the story with the children. I appreciated that. I hadn't been away from home on business for over twenty years. I knew this was going to seem odd to them. It was hard to see Evelyn so emotional. I really didn't want to do this, but I didn't feel that I had much of a choice. It would be too dangerous to try to execute all of this so close to home. I know Eddie is really good at what he does, but if he overlooks one thing, it could be disastrous for our plan, and from what I already know, it could cost us our lives.
Monday, November 5, 9:30 AM

My phone was ringing. I could tell by the display that it was Eddie. "Hey, wild man! What's up?"

"First of all, I don't think I'm the wild man, Adriel. Secondly, I have equipment delivery scheduled at my office on Wednesday. Everything should fit in your car. We need to be at the command center at 8:00 Monday morning to meet the landlord. We have a lot of work to do; so, just realize that I will need your help setting up the server and communication equipment. I also negotiated to have the landlord provide business cable service for which I will reimburse him with a 10% markup. That should be working Monday as well. I couldn't come up with any backup ISP and keep my name out if it, so we're just going to have to rely on the cable service provided by the landlord. I got us a couple of prepaid cell phones to use, and we can buy more once we're down there. I have three, bare bones laptops that we can use for your communications. That gives us two backups."

"Sounds like you thought of everything. How long will it take to get us up and running?"

"It will probably take about a day. I have been writing some program shells that I will use to start the software development for the data communication. I am parameterizing everything to keep it flexible in case we need to shift gears and move at some point, but you don't need to worry about that level of detail."

"Will you need any programming from my end?"

"Not that I can foresee, Adriel. I started where I left off, but I had to upgrade the software to accommodate the ever changing technology. It did save me some time, so hopefully I can start preliminary testing early this week. Once we get it running on site, I'll explain how it works. It's kind of slick, really. I'm enjoying it."

"I'm surprised that you're that far along."

"I didn't sleep much over the weekend. You know how I love a challenge. Every time I would lie down for a nap, I would think of something else to put in the program, and I would be up again at the keyboard. I just can't stop."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, Eddie. Just make sure you get enough sleep. We can't afford mistakes."

"People who don't make mistakes aren't doing anything. We'll correct the mistakes before we go live. I developed a test plan when I started this years ago, and it doesn't need much modification. I will definitely need your help testing the system. We're following a test protocol just like we did years ago when we worked together."

"Cool. We made a great team back then. I'm sure we'll be phenomenal now."

"We'll see how cool you think we are after your performance review."

"Ha! I'm the one who'll be reviewing your performance. All joking aside, we need to watch each other's back. This isn't fun and games anymore, Eddie. We're dealing with lots of lives."

"I never forget that, but we can still have some fun along the way."

"You may need to remind me of that from time to time. I never used to get depressed, but in the last month I have seen my emotional state deteriorate. Ignorance is truly bliss, but when you know what I know, it's a real bummer."

"Chin up, Adriel. We'll get through this. We'll be so busy that you won't have time to think about it."

"You may be right. I'm taking the car in for service tomorrow to make sure that it's in good working order. It's only three years old, but I want to make sure the scheduled maintenance for the next six months is done before we leave."

"Don't get me started about driving, Adriel. I really don't want to think about it. If we get to Orlando without me choking you, I'll consider the trip to be a success."

"All right, all right. Don't get riled up. Evelyn and I are going shopping tonight. She wants me to have some new clothes to take with me. Now that I don't get out of the house much, she says that most of my clothes are outdated."

"I haven't bought clothes in years. I'm glad that I don't have a wife that fusses over my wardrobe."

"She's not fussing. She just doesn't want me to stand out like some old fuddy-duddy."

"So, she's trying to disguise you, is she?"

"Very funny!"

"OK, Adriel, you look chic, and I'll just be myself. How's that?"

"I'm fine. This is her idea. I hate shopping. I like living in my pajamas all day."

"OK, that's going to stop for a few months. I hope you know that."

"They're not pajamas like stripes or plaids. Well, some of them are, but I mostly wear sweats, sometimes as much as three days in a row."

"Why didn't we get separate residences, especially if it's free?"

"Hey, this house is so big that I'll bet you don't even see me half the time."

"Just half the time? Are you trying to disappoint me?"

"I'll bet you sing a different tune when you taste my cooking. I have some incredible techniques for various cuisines."

"I don't want you preparing food if you haven't showered in three days."

"I didn't say that I didn't shower for three days, I said I wear the same sweats as much as three days."

"So, you shower and put on dirty clothes?"

"Well, no. Come to think of it, I guess I do go three days without a shower on rare occasion."

"Well, let's make that so rare that it never happens."

"Once again, quibbling over small stuff. I've got to get going. I need to start packing."

"It's only Monday, Adriel. I can tell you don't travel much. I'll talk to you later."

I knew sometimes Eddie was just joking with me, but I also knew that I really did drive him crazy. Sometimes I was afraid this whole operation would become unhinged. I've never been around a non-family member for an extended period of time. I was a little apprehensive about how this was going to work. I knew he could get very critical at times, and I knew that I was very easy to criticize. I never really knew how to handle these situations. If I stayed away from him, he would think that I did't want to be around him, but if I tried to spend time with him, he might become unnerved with me. I couldn't believe that I was out to save the world, and I was worried about something as trivial as this.
Wednesday, November 7, 5:55 PM

I was surprised to see Eddie in our booth when I walked into the restaurant. "Oh my, Eddie! You're already here. That's rare!"

"Yeah, I was able to wrap things up at work a little early today. I spent most of the day getting my assistant up to speed on what he needs to do while I'm away. I think he'll do fine. By the way, I explained to Noriko before you arrived that we would be gone for several weeks. I told her that we had a project out of town, and we weren't sure how long it would take. She'll probably mention it when she comes to take our order."

"Oh, no problem! That was probably a good idea, actually. She's on her way over now."

Noriko stopped to chat for a while and eventually took our order. She said that she would miss us and hoped that we would return soon. I assured her that we would be back as soon as possible. I really hate being away from home. Once she retreated, Eddie and I resumed our conversation.

Eddie turned sideways in the booth and propped his legs up on the seat, as he often did. "So, did you and Evelyn go shopping?"

"We did. I'm not much for the new styles. I rejected most of what she picked out. I'd rather not look like a tourist when I'm in Florida. I think they resent the snow birds down there, and I don't want to appear as one."

"How much socializing do you think you're going to do there? I doubt that we'll be out much except to go to the grocery and the command center. Incidentally, I have created an application for the server that you can log into and work from the residence as though you were actually there. We really don't even need to go to the command center, which might be best if for some unknown reason we get tracked to that location. I have some webcams that I'm setting up there so that we can monitor any suspicious activity."

"Oh, that's perfect! I was dreading the thought of going in there on a daily basis, especially at odd hours. I will be dealing with people all over the world, and I will need to communicate around the clock. I'm not sure when I'll get to sleep, but I need to establish a schedule of some sort, if possible."

"I have been making a list of precautions that we need to take to be sure that we are untraceable. For instance, we need to make sure that we don't leave any paperwork or identifying information at the command center. We need to treat it as though we expect it to get raided. I'm going to remove the serial and model numbers from the equipment. Some of it I will have to open up to get to all of the identifying tags. The purchase went through my employer, but I'm reimbursing them for the cost. Employees do this all of the time to get better deals on laptops. So, if they find the equipment, they shouldn't be able to trace it in any way. All of the equipment is in my car right now."

"Good thinking! What about the communication links? Can they trace our transmissions?"

"Extremely unlikely due to the fragmentation of data packets and a piece of software that I need to house on remote servers in Europe."

"How in the world are you going to do that?"

"Hehe! It's a Trojan Horse that I created that piggy-backs onto a valid software download. I catch it in flight and jump on like a kid hopping a freight train. Here's where you come in. I will need some technical information from the right people to target the download prospects. Hopefully, it will be cake and pie for you."

"OK, but if they find the location they will contact the landlord. He could possibly identify us."

"You never contacted him, did you?"

"No, I just read his thoughts to get the negotiating price."

"Good! I called him from the prepaid cell phone. I never gave him my real name, and I used the Delaware address and name of my friend's corporation."

"You told your friend about this?"

"Certainly not! If my friend gets any correspondence from the landlord, he'll think it's a mistake. In addition, I negotiated to pay the landlord in cash. I'm giving him the first six months rent up front. He didn't have a problem with that."

"Well, I'll be reading his thoughts on Monday morning when we meet with him. I don't want to take any chances."

"Great idea! I keep forgetting that we have that advantage. Just stay out of sight. The less he sees, the better."

"I'm starting to get really nervous about this whole thing. Once we start, I'm not sure how intense the impact is going to be around the world. We will be hacking some serious top secret stuff in several countries, and the repercussions could be alarming."

"What are you afraid of? Getting caught? Nothing is going to matter if we don't succeed. You need to realize that our lives, no matter what, will never be the same again. Surely you know that."

"I do, Eddie. I guess it's just pre-holocaust jitters. I don't know."

"Well, you need to develop some spine, balls, guts or whatever it takes to step up to the plate and knock this out of the ballpark. I don't really know what the big time is, but I'm guessing it can't be bigger than what we're doing."

"I'm sure that's true, and that isn't comforting by any means."

"I don't think comfort is going to be a part of our lives for some time, if ever again, but I'm not going to let this destroy my peace of mind. I'm looking forward to my ascension anyway."

"I know you are, but we have a lot of unfinished business yet. I'd like to get home early tonight to spend some time with Evelyn and make sure that I have everything I need."

"That's a good idea! Listen, I don't want you to get too concerned about them tracing our data communications. It would be virtually impossible to do so. I'll explain more when we get there and tell you how this works. My concern is about the things that aren't obvious that we need to figure out. Keep thinking about it, and I'll do the same."

"OK, let's change the subject. I need to think about something else."

I couldn't believe how keyed up I was at this point. It seemed more scary than exciting to me, and I still needed to practice making mental contacts. My plan was not solidified yet, because I wasn't sure what to expect once I made cyber contact. I'll have to revise my approach as I go. I just hope I can get some good sleep before we leave.
Friday, November 9, 1:30 PM

I decided to give Eddie a quick call. Although I could read his mind and know exactly what he was doing at all times, I tried to mask that fact by acting as though I didn't. "Hi, Eddie! I assumed that you would have lunch with your dad today, so I waited until now to call."

"Good assumption! I had a discussion with him about needing to go to Florida to help a friend set up a communications network. He asked how long I would be gone, and I explained that it was sort of open ended. I could be back sooner than later or later than sooner."

"Well, I hope your family is all right with you leaving."

"Oh, they're fine. It's more your family that concerns me."

"Evelyn is handling that side of things. I have everything ready to go. I'll pick you up around 4:00 AM tomorrow."

"Four?! Why do we have to leave that early?"

"I didn't want to get into Orlando after dark. I'm afraid that it will be more difficult to find the house. Plus, I need time to settle in and get a good night's sleep."

"Well then, you are obviously taking the first driving shift, because I'm going to sleep."

"No problem! I fully intended to take the first shift. Well, I need to get off the phone. Evelyn took the day off of work to spend some extra time with me."

"OK, I'll set my alarm tonight. See you in the morning."

"OK."

I was glad that Evelyn took the day off. We had planned to go out to dinner for our last night together. I just hoped that it truly wasn't our last night together, ever.

7:00 PM

Evelyn and I had spent an intimate afternoon with one another. It was amazing how sweet this time was, especially since we knew it could be our last. We had showered and dressed for the evening. I had let her pick the restaurant. She wanted to go to one of the finer steak restaurants in town where there are four attendants serving every table. She enjoyed the attentiveness of the servers and always laughed when they would ask how she liked the meal when her mouth was full. We had a great view, high above the city, because I had slipped the maitre 'd a twenty dollar bill. The restaurant rotated on top of the building at the rate of one hour per revolution, so we got to enjoy the changing scenery below. I had hired a limousine to take us to the restaurant and arranged for a return trip as well so that we could enjoy more than one choice of wine.

Price was no object for the evening. I had chosen Domaine Ramonet Montrachet Grand Cru to go with our appetizer of oysters on the half shell. This chardonnay had lemon overtones that was a great complement to the oysters. Evelyn dearly loved raw oysters, and as usual, we ordered an extra dozen. She looked so beautiful with her blonde hair and red evening gown. I always enjoyed her upturned nose and the sparkle in her deep blue eyes. The candle light was accentuating her features, and I smiled as I gazed at her enjoying the oysters and wine. She was feeling a little giddy, and she always had the cutest giggle when she enjoyed a few drinks.

The Salad Nicoise was served about half an hour after we had finished our oysters, which paired beautifully with the 2011 Domaine de la Petite Cassagne Rosé that we chose. We kept our conversation light and never discussed anything beyond our evening together. Evelyn's emotions were extremely sensitive when she imbibed, and I didn't want to taint the evening with a shedding of tears. I kept her laughing, and reading her mind made it all the easier to steer her thoughts to pleasant subjects.

We took a few minutes to make our final entree decisions and the wine that we would enjoy. Evelyn knew from the start that she wanted the filet mignon. I was much more inclined to eat fish than beef and chose the poached salmon with mushrooms and Hollandaise. The wine choice was simple. Our favorite red was Pinot Noir, and the restaurant had a great selection. I chose the 2006 Scott Paul Audrey Pinot Noir from Oregon, partially because it had been named after one of my favorite actresses of all time, Audrey Hepburn. Evelyn's filet was cooked to perfection, just the way that she liked it, red and warm in the center. I was delighted that my salmon was not overcooked. I knew full well that in order to serve salmon appropriately, you had to remove it from the heat while the center was still raw. The fish would continue to cook from the residual heat as it was brought to the table, and they had prepared it perfectly. The Hollandaise was like velvet, and the portion of mushrooms was generous.

We talked and laughed as we enjoyed our entrees, wondering how we would be able to consume a delectable dessert after eating all of this food. We took a forty-five minute break from eating before we decided on our last course of the evening. I knew that Evelyn would choose chocolate, and there were four tempting such offerings on the menu. Although I dearly loved chocolate, I opted for something different, knowing that Evelyn and I would share tastings. After a difficult decision, I settled on the Creme Brûlée. We ordered our desserts along with a steaming pot of coffee. I augmented my libation by ordering a snifter of Rémy Martin Cognac. I figured this would be my last in a very long time.

11:30 PM

Evelyn and I finally returned home. We were both exhausted, and I was a little concerned that I wasn't going to get enough sleep before my long trip to Orlando. There was no way I was going to cut my time short with Evelyn. I would just have to stop for coffee frequently if I needed to stay alert. After we settled into bed and enjoyed an intimate time together, we kissed goodnight and turned out the lights.
Saturday, November 10 4:05 AM

I pulled into Eddie's driveway and saw that his living room lights were on. He emerged and immediately began transferring his luggage to the front porch. I could tell by his actions that he was irritated, and I knew why. I let him be the first to speak.

"You're five minutes late, Adriel. Pop the hatch and I'll throw my bags in. I'll need some help with the equipment."

"No problem! I brought some sandwiches and drinks for whenever we get hungry."

"I just want to go back to sleep. You're okay to drive, aren't you?"

"Oh, sure! Mornings are my best time. I start getting a little sluggish after noon."

"Good, because I don't want to have to keep an eye on you."

"No, there's no need. Catch some sleep."

After we got everything loaded, Eddie settled into the passenger seat and buckled up. He turned off the radio, reclined the seat, turned sideways away from me, and faced the door. I hated reading his thoughts, because I learned just how perturbed he was. I adjusted myself in the driver's seat and rechecked my mirrors. As I put the car in gear, I glanced over at him. He was already asleep.

6:30 AM

"Hey, Eddie! Wake up! I need a break."

"What?" Eddie glanced over at me with a painful looking wince.

"Wake up! There's a rest stop in about two miles. I need for you to drive."

"What time is it?"

"It's 6:30."

"You've only been driving for a little over two hours. I'm not taking over till around noon." Eddie was disgusted and threw his jacket over his face.

"No, I really need a break," I insisted. "My hernia is really hurting, and I need to make sure that I get it back into place and switch positions. I need a break for at least an hour."

Eddie jerked the jacket from his face. "Haven't you gotten that thing fixed yet?"

"No. I told you a few years ago that it took me three years to recover from my last surgery. If I get this fixed, I'll be laid up for two weeks without being able to even lift a gallon of water. It will take years to get back to the shape I'm in now. Besides, I'm likely to just pop another one out if I get this one fixed. At least it prevents another hernia. I just need a break for about an hour."

Eddie sat up in his seat and looked around. "Well, I'm awake now. I might as well drive for a few hours, but I'm not doing most of the driving. Do you understand?"

"Of course I do. I never intended for you to do most of it. I just need a little break; that's all. Did you bring an audio book?"

"No, I didn't, and I'm not playing any stupid road game or singing, so don't ask."

"OK, we can just talk then."

"Why don't you fix your hernia and take a nap? I'll let you know when it's your turn to drive."

"If you insist!"

A few minutes later, we pulled into the rest stop and took a bathroom break. Eddie was silent, but I could read his mind, and I knew that it would be best not to try to initiate any conversation. We returned to the car, and Eddie slipped into the driver's seat. Once he was situated, and all of the mirrors and the seat had been adjusted, he looked over to be sure that I had my seat belt buckled. He backed out of the parking space and sped toward the exit. Not a word was exchanged.

7:18 AM

"Oh my god! What is that smell?" Eddie was frantically waving his hand in front of his face and rolled down the window.

"Oh, sorry! Evelyn and I went to dinner last night, and my salmon had quite a bit of garlic on it. Hey! Roll up the window! It's cold out there. I'll get pneumonia."

"I'm not going to smell that the whole way to Orlando."

"I'll try to hold it in, but I must have fallen asleep. Please roll up the window."

Eddie's disgust was mounting. "Next time we fly, Adriel."

The sun would soon be up, and I could take over driving then. I lay back in the seat trying to imagine what life would be like during the next several weeks. Due to my late night with Evelyn, I drifted off to sleep again after a few minutes.

11:30 AM

"Adriel! You awake?"

"Pretty much. I think I dozed off there for a while. Oh my gosh! It's 11:30! I never intended for you to drive that long."

"So, can you take it from here?"

"You mean the rest of the way?" I looked around. "Where are we?"

"We're almost to Alabama."

"Oh, no! I can only drive about two hours at a time. I didn't mean for you to drive this long."

"Didn't you get your hernia back in?"

"Yeah, but I can only sit in a driving position for about two hours."

"This is unbelievable! We could have been in Orlando by now and rented a car if we would have flown."

"I know, but we'll be there early this evening or late afternoon. Are you hungry? The sandwich bag is in the back seat."

"Sure! Let's hit a rest stop and eat, and then you can drive."

We found a place to stop about ten miles down the road. It was chilly, so after taking a bathroom break and filling the gas tank, we decided to eat our sandwiches in the car. Our break only lasted about fifteen minutes, but It felt good to be able to stretch our legs a bit and get something in our stomachs. I felt refreshed and in much better shape to drive for a while.

7:30 PM

Eddie woke up about an hour before we arrived. Luckily, I was able to drive the rest of the way. We found the house with no problem. Eddie had the key code to the front gate. Everything was digitized, and he said that the remote control for the gate should be on the kitchen counter. The driveway was paved with beautiful multicolored stone. Although it was already dark, there was ample external lighting to enjoy the elaborate landscaping as we drove up to the house. Eddie keyed in the code to open the front door, which was made of mahogany. We stepped into a large foyer that towered to the third floor with a crystal chandelier hanging down about twelve feet. A circular staircase wound its way upward, and we couldn't wait to explore the rest of the house.

Everything was squeaky clean due to a cleaning service that arrived on Mondays, as we soon discovered. Eddie had received the instructions via email. These folks didn't expect much and seemed to be more concerned that the contracted staff for the cleaning and the yard were really doing their jobs. We were basically expected to observe and make sure that everything was in good working order. They liked the fact that the residence was occupied while they were away. I found that interesting, because the house had an elaborate alarm system and web cameras everywhere, or so they had told Eddie in an email.

The house was fantastic. It was a three story mansion with a full, finished basement. The basement had a movie theater, game room, gymnasium and a fully stocked horseshoe bar. There were also changing rooms, a full bath, and a stairway up to the pool. The first floor had a large salon with a stone fireplace. There was a formal dining room, and across the hall was a spacious kitchen with all of the state of the art cooking equipment you could dream. This was my favorite room, because cooking is one of my primary hobbies. There was a sunken family room with a huge wall television. There were three doorways leading to the pool area. You could exit to the pool from the kitchen, family room, or a hallway that went to the basement. The main floor also had two half baths and an office.

The second floor contained five large bedrooms, each with an attached full bathroom. There was also a laundry room, a library, another office, a den and a half bath. The most impressive part of the house was the master suite. It spanned the entire third floor. It had a large wall television and the most spacious bed I have ever seen, obviously custom. There was a large balcony with a table and chairs that overlooked the pool. Off of the huge master bedroom was a lounge area with a fireplace, bar, and built-in bookcase. The master bath was adjoined by the lounge area and contained a spacious walk-in shower lined with marble. There was a jacuzzi bath large enough for four people. There were two large walk-in closets that contained three separate rooms. The entire house was beautifully decorated with statues, paintings, floral arrangements, antique items, and conversation pieces.

There was a small organization room off of the kitchen with a computer and printer. There was also a large pantry in that area along with another adjoining room for shoes, boots, jackets, and the like. This room led to the carriage house or garage area where six very impressive cars were housed. I could only recognize the Rolls and the Mercedes. Eddie was able to complement my recognition to point out the Bentley, Jaguar, Ferrari, and the most impressive, a Lamborghini. I began wondering where all of the money came from to buy all of these things, but a quick mental perusal of the owners gave me the answer. The husband was an international stock broker, and the wife was an international attorney.

Eddie kept studying the walls and walking around while I went out to the pool. I wasn't paying much attention to him. He knew a lot about construction. I was expecting an explanation soon as to how the house was framed, or what materials they used, or how they could have made it better. Then, all of a sudden, I read his mind. He was looking for the entrance to the secret passageways between the walls. I couldn't believe it. I rushed into the house and shouted, "What are you doing?"

"I'm looking for the entrance to the inner wall passages."

"What in the world makes you think there are secret passageways in this house?"

"Here, take a look. Notice how thick these walls seem to be when you walk from room to room. There's a good eighteen inches between the walls where someone could freely move from room to room, and I'm guessing from floor to floor."

"You can't be serious!"

"It's the only thing that makes sense. Why would someone waste that much space?"

"But what would be the purpose for that?"

"Adriel, we've walked all through this house. There seems to be something missing here that I would expect from someone who has so much money."

"What's that?"

"A safe. I've looked everywhere, and there is nothing that I can find that appears to have a security nature. I mean, take a look around. You know darn well that this place has a state of the art security system. Do you see any evidence? You know it has web cameras, but can you find them?"

"I never thought about it. Do you want me to read the owner's mind to find out?"

"Can you do that?"

"I can, but he has to be thinking about that subject. It's like a book. If the page with the information isn't showing, I can't read it."

"Well, we have more important things to do, but if you do happen to find out, it would be interesting."

"I'll see what I can do."

I decided to go to the grocery so that we would have enough food for the week. We were paying cash for all of our purchases, so I made sure that I took enough to cover the bill. I really didn't know what the week would bring, but I knew that we would eat well. When I returned, Eddie helped me unload the car, and I put everything away. I was planning breakfast for 8:00 AM.

Eddie insisted that I pick which bedroom I wanted. The master suite was off limits. The other bedrooms were all spacious and wonderfully decorated. I was partial to the mauve room. He didn't care about color. He took the one farthest from mine. I expected that. We had a lot to do the next day, and I was really tired. Neither of us was hungry due to the huge sandwiches that I had prepared for our lunch on the road. I decided to retire to my room, call Evelyn, and get a good night's sleep.

10:14 PM

Evelyn picked up the phone on the first ring. "Adriel? I've been anxious to hear from you."

"Sorry I didn't call earlier. Eddie and I were touring the house and getting unpacked. We have a lot to do, but I wanted to give you a call before I went to bed. You wouldn't believe this house."

"Is it as magnificent as you expected?"

"More so! This place is unbelievable."

"Well, don't get too used to it. I hope you're home sooner than you expect."

"I hope so too, but if I'm going to be stuck somewhere, I can't imagine a better place. You should see the kitchen."

"I'm sure that excites you. Sorry I won't be there to enjoy your meals."

"Me too!"

"How did the drive go?"

"Oh, Eddie was pretty perturbed with me. You know how I hate to fly."

"Yeah, I knew that would be a contention."

"Well, we're here now, so hopefully a good night's sleep will set him straight again. Listen, Honey, I need to get a good night's sleep as well. I'll call you first thing in the morning, OK?"

"No problem, Adriel! I'll talk to you tomorrow. Love you."

"Love you too, Sweetie. Good night!"
Sunday, November 11, 7:00 AM

I was so excited to be working in such a fabulous kitchen. After making a pot of coffee, I preheated the oven to 375 degrees. It was time to sauté some red onion, red sweet pepper, zucchini, broccoli, and artichoke hearts in olive oil to cook off most of the moisture. The vegetables were mixed with salt, pepper, oregano, basil, French thyme, two cloves of minced garlic, and the heat was turned off to let it rest. Four beaten eggs were combined with some shredded Asiago and Parmesan cheeses. The vegetables were then added to the egg mixture, and I washed out the sauté pan. After buttering the pan, it was dusted with Parmesan cheese and filled with the egg mixture. This went into the oven for fifteen minutes as I slowly cooked six strips of thick, hickory smoked bacon, nitrite free, of course, and divided it onto two plates.

Eddie came downstairs to the kitchen promptly at 8:00 as I was removing the frittata from the oven. Eddie wasn't a coffee drinker, so I had the whole pot to myself. We enjoyed our breakfast by the pool on a beautiful sunny morning at seventy-five degrees with a light breeze and the sound of birds singing. I was wishing that Evelyn was with me, but this wasn't a pleasure trip, and I had to keep reminding myself of that. However, the singing birds reminded me of Jane, and my thoughts rolled back three and a half months to the beginning of this escapade. It seemed like only yesterday that the incident I had at Evelyn's office party had happened. The past months since that evening seemed like such a blur.

"Thanks for the breakfast, Adriel. By the way, this is really good."

"Oh, thanks. I'm glad you enjoy it. I enjoyed cooking it."

"So, I see that you're not in your pajamas or sweats."

"Heavens no! It's beautiful here. I'm in my summer wardrobe, a t-shirt and shorts. That's all I wear in warmer weather. I'll throw on some flip flops if we go out, but otherwise, I'm in my bare feet the rest of the time. I adore warm weather."

"Is that why you picked Orlando instead of Minneapolis?"

"Absolutely! I have an aversion to traveling northward in the cooler months."

"Well, I'm not complaining. I still can't believe we're staying here rent free."

"It's amazing, isn't it? Before I started reading minds, I never would have dreamed that these situations existed. By the way, did the owners tell you not to let anyone know about this?"

"No, actually they didn't."

"Well, then they forgot to mention it, because they don't want the word getting out. It could travel like wildfire, and they don't want to be inundated with email about their homes."

"Homes? How many do they have?"

"Well, they are staying in their condo in Paris right now. They have a home in Colorado Springs, one in Great Neck, NY, another in San Francisco, and a beach home in Hawaii."

"So, do they offer these freebie deals for all of their homes?"

"Not always. They have varying offers depending on the property needs at the time."

"Interesting! At any rate, we need to get to work. You can help me remove the serial and model number tags from our equipment today."

"All right. Let me know what I can do. I'm sure you brought a tool bag with you."

"Of course I did. I never go anywhere without it."

"OK, you grab your tools, and I'll clean up the breakfast dishes."

I gave Evelyn a call after I cleaned up the kitchen. She was missing me already. I was so sorry for having to be apart, but it was for her safety. I promised that I would come home as often as I could. I just needed to find out how demanding this task was going to be. I then headed for the first floor office to help Eddie remove the equipment tags. It didn't take nearly as long as I thought. By the time I entered the office, he had already removed the covers. He handed me a screwdriver and a pair of needle nose pliers. I promptly got to work removing tags. It didn't take very long. He reattached the covers and moved the equipment to the foyer so that we could easily load it up in the morning before we drove over to the commercial property.

Eddie headed upstairs, and I went back into the kitchen to start preparations for upcoming meals. I washed two organic chickens, removed the breast meat and put the remaining parts into a stock pot with onion, peppercorns, celery, bay leaves, and carrot to simmer for three hours. I then washed two whole Sockeye salmon filets and started marinating them in pineapple juice, soy sauce, and sherry. One would be divided for dinner a couple of nights from now. I was looking forward to slowly smoking them with soaked hickory chips on the charcoal grill in the pool area. The other filet would be designated for a salmon salad to use for quick lunches during the week. I had to keep my priorities straight, because I could end up spending all of my time cooking and preparing meals.

Suddenly, Eddie rushed into the kitchen. "You're not going to believe this!"

"What? Did something go wrong already?"

"Oh, no! Something went right. There is a little blondie next door as cute as can be, and she's sunbathing topless by her pool. You've got to come and see this."

"I'm really not the voyeur type. I think I'll pass."

"Aw, come on! She's a doll. You have to see her."

"OK, but I think we're going to have to accept that this is a custom here and not get too distracted."

"Come upstairs. She's right outside my room."

Eddie raced up the stairs, and I trudged up behind him dreading the possibility that she might see us leering at her from above. "Oh my god, Eddie! You have binoculars?"

"Sure! I never go anywhere without them."

"So, this is part of your tool kit? You have peeping Tom equipment?"

"Chill out! Take a look at this."

I leaned over to look down from his window. "Oh, dear! I see what you mean. Look, we can't afford to get distracted. Besides, she might see you watching her. We don't need trouble. Please, just close the blinds and forget about her. We have too much work to do."

"Yeah, yeah, don't you have some cooking to do, Adriel?"

"I'm done cooking until lunchtime. Why don't you come downstairs, and I'll fix us some pineapple smoothies. Then you can tell me about your slick software ideas to keep us from getting our throats slit."

"OK, you're right. I'll be down in a few minutes."

I tossed some coconut and pineapple with ice and a dash of vanilla into the blender. Eddie had just walked into the kitchen when I handed him a smoothie. We went out to the pool to enjoy the sunshine.

"Tell me about your data communications software. How do you plan to keep us from being traced?"

"Well, I got the idea watching a drama about a kidnapping several years ago. It was intriguing to watch the methods that the kidnappers used to get the ransom money without being located. They had the courier jump through a lot of hoops to get to the drop sight. It was the actual drop that I found interesting. He was supposed to take the money to a cabin cruiser parked at the end of a long pier. The kidnappers were talking to the courier on his cell phone as he walked down the pier. He knew they were watching him. All of a sudden, they commanded him to throw the satchel with the money into the water. A scuba diver grabbed the satchel beneath the water and quickly vanished with a diver propulsion vehicle. He examined the contents of the satchel underwater and found the money sealed in plastic. He then transferred the money to a bag he was carrying and discarded the satchel in the water. Next, he proceeded to a boat in the bay out of sight and then sped away. They had no way to track him."

"So, our data are going underwater?"

"Very funny! Actually, I developed a data receiver program that I call the roundhouse. It's like the old train roundhouses where a locomotive would enter the roundhouse on a track and then stop. The track would then rotate to hook up the locomotive to a completely different line. Your email transmissions will be fragmented into encrypted, compressed data packets split 256 different ways. These packets will then be shipped via different communications lines to be dropped at different roundhouses where they will sit until they are retrieved by a polling program that looks for specific identification markers on the encrypted packets. There is no way to know from which line the packet entered the roundhouse because email headers and IP addresses are encrypted. The packets are then shipped on to a destination just prior to delivery that reassembles the message from the 256 packets, unscrambles and decompresses them, and delivers the final message to the recipient's mailbox."

"Where do the roundhouses reside?"

"They will be located on servers around the world. Remember I told you that I would need your help identifying different software downloads? I am going to piggy-back the roundhouse programs to expected software downloads to these servers, and once the download starts, the roundhouse will detach and find a secure place to hide in the destination folder of the software. The roundhouse sends a ping signal every second. If a roundhouse program is compromised, then the ping signal stops. The packets are shipped to roundhouses that have pings resonating from them."

"What if you ship the packet to a roundhouse that gets compromised after delivery and before it can relay the packet?"

"Good thinking! Your messages are fragmented 256 times to provide redundancy as well as fragmentation. It's nearly impossible that enough roundhouses would be compromised that would destroy your message, because it is duplicated sixteen times and randomly distributed. Redundant packets are compared and reassembled at the destination site. The reassembly package attaches as an exit program within the target email server software."

"All right, that raises a couple of questions in my mind. First, how do they respond to my email without tracing it to our location, and second, what if they detect the exit program in their mail server software?"

"Two very good questions. First, whenever they respond to your message, the exit program strips the message contents, compresses and encrypts it according to my protocol and sends it to 256 different roundhouses just like it did when you sent your email. Anything they might have attached for tracing is already removed. Even it it weren't removed, they wouldn't be able to recognize it due to encryption. The transmission back to us uses my protocol software that is a black box. It's decrypted and loaded into memory whenever they send a message and then removes itself from memory in a split second. To answer your second question, I doubt that they want to tamper with the exit software. If they do, they won't get your messages, and I'm willing to bet that's the last thing they want to do after they read a couple of your emails. Even if they got the decryption software and tried to decrypt the protocol software, they wouldn't be providing the expected trigger password, and the decryption result would be garbled. Besides, if it crosses their minds to trace us, you'll know about it and how they plan to do it. You're the mind reader, and I can guarantee they aren't banking on that."

"You make this sound so simple. Then the roundhouse is like the kidnapping drop thrown in the water. The contents have been stripped, examined, encrypted and shipped off to eventually return to us. What if too many roundhouses get compromised?"

"Roundhouses propagate themselves. Pings are received by the master roundhouses, and whenever they diminish, a new roundhouse is propagated to another location. Up to 4096 roundhouses are maintained throughout the world."

"Well, you're the only person I would trust with my life when it comes to this sort of thing. It sure sounds like you have it covered."

"I do. Relax and do your part, and we'll be fine."

Eddie decided to take a walk later that afternoon. He seemed to forget that I could read his mind. The cute blonde next door was obviously out of sight, and Eddie was hoping she was out for a walk. I can read her mind too, and I was comforted to know that she was taking a bubble bath in the security of her private bathroom where Eddie couldn't watch her. I really don't want to babysit his thoughts, but I know he's infatuated with her. She is quite attractive, and Eddie is a handsome bachelor with an impressive nest egg. Although I would imagine anyone in this neighborhood would see him as a pauper. They would probably consider me to be homeless in comparison. I know I'm focusing on the wrong things, because I'm too worried to focus on the right things.

I busied myself in the kitchen for a couple of hours. I decided to get some bread dough rising for a French loaf to accompany the bouillabaisse that I had planned for dinner. While I was cooking, I started thinking of the testing that we needed to do for the data communications system that Eddie had concocted. We needed to review the test plan this evening so that I could get up to speed with my part. I also needed to do some research to find companies around the world who would be receiving software downloads. That's not as hard as it sounds. I will start with the customer representatives of software companies to target which clients might be getting upgrades or new products. I needed to create a task list and a schedule. Organization was going to be imperative if we were to work efficiently, and we definitely needed optimum efficiency.
Monday, November 12, 8:00 AM

I was so nervous that I skipped breakfast this morning. I couldn't believe I was doing this. Here I was, lying in the back seat of my SUV while Eddie finalized the arrangements for the office space. I had a nice conversation with Evelyn that morning, and she was as nervous as I was that today was the day that we started something risky. I was concentrating on the landlord's thoughts as well as Eddie's. Eddie was more apprehensive than he let on to me. The landlord was nearly giddy that he had a renter, and I imagined that his eyes were gleaming when he saw all that cash that Eddie had to give him after the contract was signed. The contract was a sham, really. Eddie wasn't using his real name or address, and the landlord couldn't have cared less. He suspected that Eddie was connected with organized crime, but he didn't mind as long as he had the place rented. The landlord was a real talker, and I was starting to sweat without the air conditioning. Eddie couldn't leave the car running, or it would have looked suspicious. They had gone inside for a walkthrough of the space, and Eddie was sizing it up for our needs. The cable service was active, and all we needed to do was install the equipment and start testing.

8:45 AM

Finally, Eddie waved goodbye to the landlord and unlocked the car door. I was so relieved. "I thought you guys would never stop talking. I'm sweating to death back here."

"Yeah, he wouldn't shut up. He kept asking questions about the business. I told him that we were a data warehouse and that we needed a redundant backup server in a remote location to protect our data assets."

"Yeah, I know. I was monitoring. Remember?"

"Oh, of course! So, can you tell if we're being watched?"

"Well, the landlord is on his way to meet his mistress. So, his thoughts are far from this place. I think we're okay to move the equipment inside."

"Good! Let's get started, because we have a lot to do."

Watching Eddie install and configure the servers and peripherals was like watching a highly choreographed ballet. He was swift and smooth, and he wasted no motion. I could tell that he had done this hundreds of times. Before I knew it, he had the laptops online and started some preliminary testing.

"Adriel, I need your help. Take that laptop over there and send an email to the address that I have written on the pad next to it. I want to make sure that the communications are working properly."

"OK, how do I log on to this thing? I don't recognize anything on the display."

"Oh, I forgot to mention that I use my own operating system. I developed it ten years ago. I got so tired of putting up with virus software and inadequate operating systems, so I developed my own. This is a bare bones system that handles simple word processing, spreadsheets, and email. It's virtually impenetrable by hackers. Just press the F1 key, and a password box will pop up. The password is written on the pad above the email address."

"Cool. OK, I'm on, and I see the email icon. I clicked it, and I have the email box displayed. I see the New Mail icon. All right. I have a subject line of Test that I'm sending to the address on the pad. Let me know when you receive it."

"OK, that took about 10 seconds to make the trip. That's a little longer than I expected, but I can analyze the email, because it captures all of its drop points and encrypts them so that I know how much time each leg of the cyber-trip took to get to me."

"But you don't have the roundhouses in place yet, do you?"

"No, but I created a prototype on one of my servers at home to use in order to do the testing."

"Well, that sounds risky. What if you lose power at home due to a thunderstorm?"

"Don't get so nervous. I have a gas powered generator that kicks in if there is the slightest fluctuation in power. Take a break, and I'll analyze this transmission. I just need to run a program against the reassembled data packets."

I spent the next couple of hours searching for customer service representatives of software companies to get the information that Eddie needed. I couldn't write fast enough to keep up with what I was receiving. Thought processes are generated at the speed of light, and they are coupled with other thoughts that overlap from person to person. It's like trying to catch six balls that are thrown at you at the same time. It took a few iterations, but I was able to find 32 different companies that had hundreds of software downloads to servers all over the world. It's amazing that my mind is like a computer. I don't forget the information, but there's so much of it. I wish Eddie could devise a software system that could read my thoughts and generate them on a spreadsheet. I really needed some sort of shorthand, because the biggest lag in time was trying to write all of this down. I needed lists so that I could concentrate on my targets and for Eddie's sake as well.

Eddie had done some programming and testing, and he was finally satisfied with the results. I was trying to reorganize my notes into a more comprehensible format. I paired up companies with software and passwords to make my gibberish more intelligible.

"Eddie, I have 32 different companies listed with software downloads. Take a look and see if this is what you need."

"Hmm... This is a start, for sure, but I need much more technical information. You will need to contact a technical person who knows the internal software structure and what the user exits are to the programs. I need some specifics. Let's start with the first company on the list. If you can find a technical person, then I can guide you to what we need to know."

"Well, easier said than done. The person has to be thinking about the subject before I can read his mind to find what we need."

"I understand that. You can get the telephone numbers that you need, and you can find a way to contact the right technical person. Just start asking that person questions, and whether he answers you or not, you can read his mind."

"Good plan. I'll get started. I'll use the prepaid cell phone that you gave me. This may take a few hours. Do you have the remote access set up to where we can work from the house?"

"Oh sure! Let's get out of here. Besides, I'm getting hungry. Let's stop and grab something to eat on the way."

"Oh please, no, Eddie! I hate to eat from restaurants that I don't know, and chain restaurants are the worst. You never know what they're putting in the food. Besides, we have everything we need at the house. It won't take me but a few minutes to have lunch ready. Then we can get started finding the information that you need."

"Sounds like a plan."

12:15 PM

I often marvel at the timing aspects of events in a lifetime. It's fascinating to me how so many things have to align within split seconds that can bring about a juncture that potentially changes a person's life forever. As I was pulling up to the gate at the house, Eddie commanded me to stop. He rolled down his window, and as I looked across, I saw that cute blonde from next door walking a dog. Eddie readily engaged her in conversation. She was a charmer, for sure. She had the sexiest voice I had ever heard, and her innocent demeanor was adorable. He introduced himself as Brad and me as Gilbert to protect our identities. He turned to me and asked if I minded if she joined us for dinner. I could read Eddie's mind, and he was wanting me to read her mind to see if she was available.

I knew too much already. She was anxious for an invitation and was flattered by Eddie's attention. Boredom had haunted her for weeks as she was house and dog sitting for her sister and brother-in-law, who were on vacation in the Orient. She had ended a long relationship about a year ago and hadn't dated anyone since. The break up was so devastating for her that she was entertaining the idea of moving from her home town in Boise, Idaho. She had started an online travel agency business about three years ago, which was doing well enough to support her. She could live anywhere she wanted, and she was looking for the right opportunity and place to move. I was astounded to read her thoughts that Eddie just might be the right guy to spend the rest of her life with. I really didn't want to tell him that. It just seemed so unfair to read a person's thoughts, not to mention the scary aspects.

Her sister and brother-in-law were due to return late this evening. She had a flight scheduled back to Boise at 10:00 AM tomorrow morning. I can't help it, but when I think about the fact that Eddie had finished his testing at the command center, and I had shown him that list of companies, and then we had the conversation about how to get more information, and how I wanted to get out of there, and how he wanted to stop to get something to eat and I refused, and the blonde, whose name is Angela, by the way, just happened to be walking her sister's dog near the gate to the house, it seems so incredible. I just knew then and there that this was one of those life changing moments.

I agreed to have her over for dinner. I asked if she had any food allergies, which I knew that she didn't, but it looked good for me to ask. I asked if she had any favorites, which I knew that she did, but once again I needed to ask. So plans were set for dinner at 7:00 this evening. At this point, Eddie knew only her name, and that she had been house and dog sitting for her sister, and that she was from Boise. I really didn't want to get stuck in the middle of all of this, but Eddie's my friend, and if I have information that could protect him, I have to disclose it.

Once we got into the house, I unloaded on him. "What do you think you're doing? You told me yourself that we weren't going to do any socializing while we were here. Now you're potentially compromising our mission by fraternizing with the neighbor."

"You agreed to dinner, Adriel. You could have said, 'no.'"

"Oh sure, right in front of her, and don't forget I can read both your minds. For God's sake, I didn't even get to pick my own name!"

"Fair enough! You can pick our last names."

"Perfect! Yours is Pitt and mine is Gottfried."

"You know you can't do that, Adriel. Be serious."

"How about Smith and Jones?"

"I can go for that. Brad Smith and Gilbert Jones!"

"I want to be Smith!"

"OK, OK, you be Smith, and I'll be Jones, geez. Chill out."

"Just don't get us in a pickle here. This is a terrible way to start a friendship with her. You have to lie about everything."

"Not everything! I don't have to lie about my feelings. I don't know. There's just something about her that I find intriguing."

"Yeah, I know what that is, Eddie. Don't forget I saw her topless too."

"No, no, it's nothing like that. That just got me to notice her. Now that I have talked to her, I can see that there's something there that I can't describe."

"Well, just don't describe too much. If all hell breaks loose, and the secret service comes looking for us, I don't want any way for them to trace us. For God's sake, please don't let her take any pictures of you. Make sure you're aware of her phone at all times. The last thing we need is for either of us to be exposed on social media."

"Good point, Adriel! We need to wipe our fingerprints before we leave the house too."

"I know you're being facetious, but that's really not a bad idea."

"Why don't we wait until you detect a problem, Mr. Mindreader."

"OK, that makes sense."

I was relieved to see that the cleaning crew had come and gone while we were out. After we finished our shrimp kebabs with pineapple and mango salsa for lunch, we settled in to the great room to start our collection of information so that Eddie could get his roundhouses distributed. I probably don't need to tell you, but it took a concerted effort to keep him on the task, because all he wanted to talk about was Angela.

I did some browsing in the thought world and collected several numbers of technicians to call to get the information that Eddie needed. Most of the conversations were really awkward, and I was hung up on six times, but not without gathering the necessary information. It was fascinating how easy it was to direct someone's thoughts to the right topic. Even after the call ended, many of them started thinking of aspects of their software that might be possible targets for a breach. The findings were priceless, and Eddie just laughed when I told him all that I was learning. Within three hours, we were able to gather enough information to propagate over 500 roundhouse modules to servers around the world.

It was entertaining to watch Eddie set up the list of targets, passwords, program names and other parameters that he used to attach his roundhouses to modules that were ready for flight to customers all over the globe. His fingers moved like lightning over the keys, and the lists seemed to populate on their own. Everything happened so fast it was like a concert pianist performing a lively tune. It made me dizzy just to watch. Finally, he leaned back in his seat, stretched, cracked his knuckles, smiled, and said that we were ready for business. It was time for me to get the list of targets so that I could start my email strategy. I just needed to figure out what that was.

5:00 PM

Angela was on a low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free diet; so no bread, pasta, rice, cheese, cream sauces nor anything of the like would do. Eddie wanted me to impress her, and I felt like a prize fighter with one hand tied behind my back. Some of my best creations involved the very things that I had to avoid. I certainly was not a fan of sugar and would never use it, but butter, cream and various cheeses were staples in my kitchen. To make matters worse, Eddie wanted me to make a chocolate dessert. I took a quick inventory of what I had in the kitchen. Luckily, I had stocked up on several items and staples that just might work for the evening.

I decided to start with the dessert. I found an interesting black bean brownie recipe that used beans instead of flour. I substituted stevia for the sugar, but I was puzzled with what to do about the chocolate chips in the recipe, because they contained sugar. I had to send Eddie out to get some chocolate chips that were sweetened with stevia. He found a health food store in the area by checking online. He was back in half an hour, and the oven was up to temperature. I mixed everything together and put it in to bake for twenty minutes.

Next, I cut the tips off of the cloves on a large head of garlic, rubbed it with olive oil and placed it in a garlic oven at 400 degrees for forty minutes. The roasted garlic was mixed with sautéed onion in coconut oil, salt, pepper, and mashed with steamed cauliflower. This provided a pseudo-starch for the meal. Our green veggie was steamed green beans with salt, pepper, onion, basil, and crispy bacon bits.

That left the entree, which I had decided to be that lovely marinated Sockeye salmon on the grill. It was neatly graced with roasted red pepper, onions, capers, and rosemary. The sweetness of the sherry and pineapple in the marinade was complemented by the salty soy sauce and made a perfect undertone for the salmon, which paired well with the red peppers.

7:15 PM

Angela and Eddie enjoyed a full bodied Merlot with our dinner, and I opted for some sparkling water. We had some great conversation, and by the time that we had finished dessert, I really needed to excuse myself, because reading their thoughts was just a little more than I could bear for the evening. Besides, I was having a difficult time responding to the name Gilbert, which I thought Eddie was overusing during dinner. I retired upstairs in my room and gave Evelyn a call. Things were well at home, and I gave her a quick rundown of the day at a very high level being careful not to divulge too much information over the phone. Besides, the less she knew, the better, but it was hard to keep her in the dark about everything. I spent the rest of the evening in my room trying to think of a plan of attack for the next day. It wasn't long before I fell asleep.
Tuesday, November 13, 5:00 AM

I was up early since I fell asleep soon after dinner last night. I logged on to work to see what projects I had been assigned. I was a little disappointed that I had two new assignments, but after reading the requirements they didn't appear to be too challenging. I could probably get a good start on one of them before breakfast. I brewed a large pot of coffee to get me kicked off for the day. I made significant progress on one of my projects by 7:30 and decided to start breakfast. I had skipped eating yesterday morning, whereas Eddie had wolfed down a toasted bagel. I thought a hearty breakfast would be in order for the day.

I was liking the low-carb idea and decided to poach four eggs that Eddie and I could divide and put them atop slices of broiled Canadian bacon, drenched in hollandaise sauce. This only took minutes, and Eddie was waiting patiently for his breakfast.

8:00 AM

I dished up our servings and brought our plates to the table. I kept the conversation light. "Well, I logged on to work this morning and found that I have a couple of projects assigned to me."

"Yeah, I was catching up on email from work last night to see if anything needed attention. I answered a few questions and got started on some reports, but nothing too pressing for the time being."

Eddie wasn't really thinking about work. You guessed it. He was thinking about Angela and the fact that she canceled her flight to Boise. I could see the possibility of storm clouds on my horizon. Eddie and Angela were hitting it off famously, and I was concerned that this might impact our mission. Our goal was to remain obscure while we were in Orlando, and now Angela is sticking around, and her sister and brother-in-law are now back home. It won't be long before we're having cocktail parties with the neighbors and discussing our lives. My anxiety was growing by the second. I didn't want to bring this up, because then I would be able to read his mind even deeper on the subject, which I rather would not do at this point.

"So, Eddie, I guess today is testing day for your communications software, right?"

"Definitely! We'll have you choose a target and I'll trace the pathways to see if things are working properly. Make sure that you choose someone obscure who isn't a real target for this mission. I don't want to make premature contact if there are any glitches."

"Absolutely! I'll find someone via social media whom I don't know, and we can use him as a test case."

So, right now Eddie is trying to think of a time that he and Angela can get together tonight, and he doesn't want me getting upset about it. I would be fine if I knew that this would not impact our progress, but I'm not so sure, and I don't want to get into an argument over it.

"Hey, Eddie! I know we have a lot to do today, but I really need some time to get some of my project work done for my employer. I was thinking that if we could wrap up our testing by 4:00 this afternoon, I could make some progress at work. I may not have time to cook dinner tonight."

"Oh, that's fine! I wasn't expecting our testing to interfere with your work, and don't worry about dinner. In fact, I was thinking that Angela and I could go to one of the restaurants nearby that she has been wanting to try."

"Yeah, that works perfectly. I can get some work done, and you two can get to know one another better."

I hated dancing around each other like we were walking on eggshells. It was unnatural and uncomfortable, but when it comes to men where women are involved, it can get a little emotional and unreasonable. I didn't want to risk anything, so I decided to dance.

"OK, Eddie, I found a couple of possible test contacts. I have their email addresses."

"Give me one of the addresses, and I'll send a phishing email to get them to click on a link. Once they do that, the protocol software will attach to their email server software."

"Hey! Is that how you attach to our target's email? That doesn't make sense. You would have to have the protocol software in place."

"No, silly! We know our real targets. I can get their addresses and make attachments to their software prior to your contact. I will just need for you to do a little mental research for me."

"Oh, OK! Good, because I was getting a little concerned."

"Oh, ye of little faith, Adriel! Give me some credit here. I'm not a novice."

"Sorry, I know that. I just need the reassurance, I guess."

Well, it turned out that we needed to send twelve emails to prospective test contacts before someone clicked on the link in the phishing email in a timely manner. Eddie started tracking my emails to the final test contact, which proved to be fun, because I could read the contact's mind and just started messing with him mentally. It was easy to engage him in conversation, because I began telling him things that he had told no one. I really had him going. I was hoping that this was indicative of what I could do with the prime ministers in South Asia. Eddie had to do some tweaking of the software, because he wasn't satisfied with the performance. The roundhouses appeared to be working beautifully along with his protocol software. It seemed that it was virtually impossible to trace us to our location. That certainly helped raise my comfort level, because once we started contacting the leaders of the world, it would get extremely dangerous.

1:00 PM

We broke for lunch. Since Eddie was planning a dinner out with Angela, I kept our meal very light. I settled for a romaine lettuce wrap with avocado, salmon salad, which was made from the leftover entree the night before, hard cooked egg, capers, tomato, and artichoke hearts.

"So, do you know where you're eating tonight?" I feigned interest, because I already knew the answers to my questions.

"Angela said that she had been wanting to try a new restaurant that opened up about a mile from here. It's an organic, vegetarian place. It sounds intriguing."

Ha! Intriguing, indeed! I wasn't naive enough to believe that he found the restaurant the least bit interesting. It was Angela. She could have suggested the local garbage dump for dinner, and Eddie would have found it intriguing. I continued my charade. "Yeah! That does sound intriguing. Don't drink too much herbal tea. You have to drive, you know."

The rest of the afternoon was spent with more testing. I did so much emotional dancing with Eddie that I felt like Cinderella just before midnight. My metaphorical feet were aching. Our project was on track, and that's all I cared about at this point. We started the exercise of establishing our contact list. Obviously, my initial contacts were the prime ministers of Pakistan and India. I was sure to stir up enough trouble with those two to keep me busy for a long time. It took about an hour and a half to find the information that Eddie needed to attach his protocol software. We had to trace the next software update and have his protocol black box software hitch a ride into the target's server. I enjoyed watching him work. It was like seeing a child on Christmas morning with the toy he had been wanting all year.

4:00 PM

"Hey, Eddie! I need to break here. I have to catch up on my work."

"Yeah, me too! I've got some catching up to do as well. We've made some considerable progress today. I think we're ready for showtime tomorrow. What time do you want to get started?"

"Well, I suggest we sleep in fairly late. Our show won't start until around midnight."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot about the time difference. It's just as well. I'll probably be out late tonight."

"I figured that. I'll stay up late working and try to finish the two projects that I have on my plate at work. Let's plan to have brunch around 11:00. How's that?"

"Can we make it later? I'd like to sleep in till at least noon. I'm not sure how late I'll be out."

"Very well, let's plan to eat around 2:00 in the afternoon. I'll make a huge brunch that will hold us until later in the evening."

Sounds good. I'll catch up with you then."

This was where my bigger challenge was. I was largely a morning person, so staying up late was going to be really hard for me. To make matters worse, we were changing our eating schedule, which was going to wreak havoc with my digestive system. It's funny how I worry about the more trivial things. I had no idea what was going to happen. I never realized that my eating schedule would eventually turn into no schedule at all.

It was nearly disgusting to me that I could track every detail of Eddie's date with Angela. I tried hard not to think about them, because as soon as I did, I could read their minds, and that's the last thing I wanted to do at this point. I felt like I was spying, and I found that very distasteful. It was hard to avoid it. I submerged myself in my work and talked to Evelyn for over an hour trying not to focus on Eddie.

11:00 PM

I was able to complete my two projects for my employer. I needed to submit them for a peer review to get a sign off for the final delivery. I was glad to be at a stopping point and decided to wait until the next day to submit them. I was getting really tired, but I knew that in twenty-four hours I would just be getting started, so I decided to go out for a walk. The evening was very pleasant. I put on a light jacket. The temperature had dipped to around sixty-five degrees with a slight breeze. It was quiet and peaceful, and I was enjoying a leisurely stroll.

I was trying so hard not to focus on Eddie and Angela, but it was nearly impossible. He was trying to gently encourage her to back off a bit. She was wanting a physical relationship, and Eddie was reluctant to get involved that deeply so soon. He managed to persuade her to establish a friendship and see how the relationship progressed. I was impressed with his approach, and I knew that he saw this as a serious possibility for a lasting bond with her. She felt insecure, and she still had some issues with her last breakup. She was looking for love and acceptance in a somewhat desperate fashion, and Eddie was trying to offer her comfort and emotional security with a healthy respect for her. They had driven to a park and sat outside talking for several hours, while I tried to occupy my mind with my task at hand for the following night.

## **CHAPTER FIVE**

### **_Showtime_**
Wednesday, November 14, 9:14 AM

I dreaded looking at the clock. I knew this would happen. I wanted to sleep until noon, but this was the very latest that I could manage. I tossed and turned for another hour, trying to cover my eyes with the sheet to block out the light. My mind was too active, and I knew that sleep was over. I wasn't sure what time Eddie got in last night, but he was the type of person who could lie down and be asleep within a minute at any time of day. I envied that. Sleep never came easily for me. Even if I were dead tired and fell asleep, I usually awoke in an hour or two. I decided to call Evelyn. She was already at work, and I knew that she couldn't talk long.

After our conversation, I decided to mill about in the kitchen. The owners had a really nice espresso machine, but I hadn't bought any espresso beans. I started a grocery list. I settled for a pot of strong coffee and sipped it by the pool while I contemplated our brunch. I then remembered that I needed to submit my two projects for a peer review at work, so I logged on and took care of that. I was nervous about tonight. I had too much time on my hands. Cooking would only take about an hour, and I had most of the day to fill. I would like to have done some mind reading, but the folks that I needed to target at this time were heading home for the day, and there wasn't much to glean from them.

It wasn't long before my mind wandered on to Eddie and Angela, and immediately I started receiving Angela's thoughts. She was talking to her sister about the date last night. Her sister was somewhat curious why two men were house sitting next door. She started asking questions about us, and Angela told her what she knew, which wasn't much. Eddie had kept her talking mostly about herself. He said that he didn't want to bore her with the technical aspects of his job and just told her he was a communications analyst spending some vacation time in Orlando with his friend. I was somewhat amused that Angela's sister was entertaining the possibility that Eddie and I were gay, especially when Angela related the part about Eddie wanting to take it slowly. Angela was expressing hopes in the relationship. I didn't detect anything that might compromise our work, so I concentrated on brunch.

After rummaging through the freezer and refrigerator, I decided to bake a sausage hash and accompany it with apple Danish. There was enough time to let the dough rise. After all, I had bought rapid rising yeast, so I measured out two cups of warmed milk, two tablespoons of melted butter, a quarter cup of honey, three tablespoons of molasses, a teaspoon of salt, and whisked it all with a package of yeast. After the yeast started to activate, two beaten eggs were added. Unbleached flour was then whipped in until the mixture was almost too thick for the whisk. The rest of the flour was mixed by hand, and the lump of dough was kneaded, covered, and set on a table by the pool in the sunshine.

While the dough was rising, I slowly cooked some apples in honey, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, Garam Masala, a dash of salt, and a little vanilla and set them aside after the apples were soft. The dough had risen nicely in an hour, so it was then divided into four parts. The parts were rolled, formed, and placed into individual tart pans. I created a decorative pie lip around the edges and spooned the apple mixture into each dish. These baked in a 400 degree oven while I sautéed some onion, celery, diced potato with salt, pepper, French thyme, sage, and rosemary in coconut oil. Bulk, pork sausage was then browned and mixed with the vegetables. I added some minced garlic and put the sausage mixture into a buttered baking dish. Melted butter and milk with cornstarch were then whisked with nutmeg and poured over the sausage and potato mixture to bake in the oven at 375 degrees. It could be kept warm in the oven once it was done and topped with shredded cheddar cheese, waiting for Eddie to come downstairs for brunch.

The apple tarts browned nicely and smelled heavenly when I removed them from the oven to cool. It was getting close to brunch time, so I made another pot of coffee for myself.

2:00 PM

Eddie waltzed into the kitchen. "It's a good thing I set an alarm. I think I could have slept all afternoon."

"I wish I had that problem. I've been awake since around 9:00."

"Looks like you've been busy. Wow! How long did all of this take? It looks great."

"Well, I had plenty of time on my hands, so I enjoyed myself in the kitchen. It was probably about three hours total in the making."

"What is this stuff? It's really good."

"It's a sort of sausage hash that I baked in the oven. How are the apple tarts?"

"These are really good. This should keep us from being hungry until fairly late tonight."

"I would hope so. We really can't get started until around 10:00 tonight at the earliest. It may take a while for me to make the right contacts. I figure that if we have your black box protocol programs identified for a delivery schedule by tomorrow morning, we'll be doing good."

"I hope so. You may need to take a nap before 10:00, Adriel."

"I wish I could. I'll try, but I seldom can get to sleep during the day. I might have a better chance around 7:00. I might be able to catch a couple of hours then."

"Hey, if you don't want to set an alarm, because I know that you don't use one, I can wake you up around 10:30."

"I think I'll take you up on that."

I knew darn well that Eddie was planning on seeing Angela before we got started tonight. I really didn't care as long as I didn't read their minds, and it didn't interfere with our work.

9:00 PM

I must have dozed off by the pool. This balmy, subtropical air is relaxing. The sound of the water lapping against the side of the pool helps to soothe me as well. Actually, I felt fairly rested to my surprise. Eddie was at the kitchen table working. I decided to join him and log on to work. Nothing much had transpired since the morning. I was glad. I was hoping I didn't get some rush job assigned to me, because I would be so fragmented in my thinking that it would just slow me down. I decided to make another pot of coffee, which I knew would help keep me awake. Eddie was concentrating on his work and didn't look up, so I let him be.

10:30 PM

It was finally showtime. Eddie was sitting in a lounge chair with his laptop ready for business. I was lying on the couch a few feet away strolling through the thoughts of the National Security Advisor in Pakistan. I was being bombarded by thousands of thoughts, and it was difficult to concentrate on the advisor. I was listening, but there was so much information, and I felt that it was distracting me from my task. It was entertaining to read the advisor's thoughts. I was able to step-stone my way from person to person at such a rapid rate that there was no chance of writing anything down. I had to wait until I learned something significant before I could pause. Things were happening fast, and before long I was homed in on the technical analyst that was responsible for the computer systems for the government offices. I could springboard from him to the analyst who was monitoring the upgrades to the software. I had to camp out with that person for about three hours before I could get any information about a maintenance schedule notification for the staff to inform them of any upgrades.

It finally happened. He sent a broadcast email about an upcoming software upgrade. I started writing like a madman. Eddie had dozed off in the lounge chair, and I was feverishly noting everything I could get from this technician. It was time to make contact. I had to get this guy on the subject matter that Eddie needed.

"Eddie! Wake up! I've got something here. I need to email this guy, and we don't have our black boxes in place yet."

"That's OK! I'm going to route you through Northwestern University."

"You're going to what?!"

"I didn't tell you about this part. Sorry, I forgot. I have some routing software that will send your email from Northwestern University that I'm using for you to make initial contacts. I don't care if they trace that. Just don't say anything too alarming. I was thinking that you could pose as a student conducting research."

"Now you tell me! I have to come up with some scenario that won't trigger too much suspicion?"

"Well, I figured that since you can read this guy's thoughts that you could alleviate his suspicions."

"You assume a lot."

"Take it easy. If we get these black boxes in place by the weekend we'll be doing great."

"Take it easy? I'm getting thousands of thoughts streamed to me in seconds. I'm desperately jotting notes as fast as I can, and I have to come up with some script to use on a foreign techie, while you nap in a lounge chair?"

"Yeah, that's right! Who do you think constructed all of this software that's protecting you? Who installed the equipment and gave you remote access to the server? Who foot the bill for this little venture?"

I was embarrassed. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'm just on needles and pins here. Show me how to route my email through Northwestern."

Eddie showed me how to use the communication link via Northwestern. I emailed the technician in Pakistan and was able to start a short dialogue. I only needed enough information to get Eddie the specifics for what he needed. The technician was a little suspicious as to how I could get his email address, but through reading his mind I was able to convince him that his brother, who lived in Chicago, had given me his information for the sake of a research paper. I asked some detailed questions that he refused to answer, but once again, all I needed was for him to think about the subject, and I was able to get everything I needed. This same scenario proved to be just as successful for every site that we needed to install the black box email software. I just needed to revisit each contact to make a quick perusal of their thoughts to be sure that I had not aroused too much suspicion. So far, we appeared to be in the clear. By sunrise, we were now ahead of our expected schedule, and we were both dead tired. It was time for a nap, and I knew that I would be awake far too early in the day.
Thursday, November 15, 11:18 AM

I used to look forward to getting up early and enjoying the quiet morning hours before sunrise. Lately, I dreaded to look at the clock when I awoke, because I knew that it would never be late enough, and just knowing how little sleep I was getting added to my fatigue. My head was aching, and my mouth had a strange taste. I reached for the bottle of water that I had on the night stand and drank the rest of it. I lay there waiting for my head to clear. I was certain that I would need a considerable nap before engaging in emails tonight with some of the most important players in the potential holocaust. I would have to play this by ear, because I had no idea what was going to work, or that if anything I did would make a difference. How naive I was!

I gave Evelyn a quick call. She was concerned about how much sleep I was getting. I assured her that things weren't too crazy yet, but I didn't know what to expect once I made a solid contact with the Prime Minister of Pakistan. I explained that once things began to happen, I wouldn't be able to tell her any details. She didn't like that, but she understood that too much information would be dangerous. We were both missing one another, and I knew that things were just getting started. I tried to give her some words of encouragement, but they didn't hold much substance.

I decided to take a long shower and try to acclimate to the day that was already well underway. I used that time to decide what we would be eating for our breakfast, which would uncharacteristically be after noon. I think my stomach was already starting to protest my new schedule. I felt that I needed some serious protein, so I was leaning toward a bacon and egg dish. The more that I thought about it, the more I began to doubt that bacon would suffice. It had to be steak and eggs this morning with hash brown potatoes to keep me going, and lots of strong coffee. This gave me something to look forward to, because at this moment I was somewhat dreading the day.

After I decided on what to eat for breakfast, as I was letting the water run over my face in the shower, I tried polling Eddie's thoughts. He was dreaming, so I knew that he was still sound asleep. For some unknown reason, I decided to check on Angela's thoughts. I learned that she had booked her flight back to Boise and was leaving the following morning at 7:00 AM. I have to admit that I was relieved, but I wondered if Eddie knew about this. I figured that it would make a good breakfast conversation. Besides, once I brought up the subject of Angela, I would be able to know everything he was thinking about her. I was beginning to feel a little fiendish, but since I had this capability, I figured that I should use it to my advantage just as long as it didn't harm anyone.

I trudged into the kitchen and immediately started making the coffee. It was going to take a couple of cups to get me jump started enough to engage in cooking breakfast. I strolled out to the pool area while the coffee brewed. What a magnificent day! The sun was shining brightly, the birds were singing, and there was the most wonderfully sweet aroma of flowers wafting through the slight breeze that drifted by as I sat there mesmerized by the sunlight dancing on the pool water. I was alerted by the coffee maker alarm and didn't waste any time retrieving a nice, strong cup of Columbian coffee with cream and stevia. I returned to the pool to soak in more of the attributes of this gorgeous day.

I was enjoying my second cup of coffee when I heard the driveway gate pager signal. I jogged into the kitchen to where one of the many gate monitors was and was surprised to see Angela standing out front. I responded and asked if I could help her. She wanted to come in and talk with Eddie. I told her that he was still sleeping. After reading her thoughts, there was no way that I could turn her away, so I invited her in. I met her at the front door and offered her a cup of coffee. She declined, and I then realized that it was now nearly one o'clock in the afternoon. There is such an advantage to reading other's thoughts, so I offered her a glass of Chardonnay. She gladly accepted.

I opened the chilled bottle and poured her a glass. Intuitively, I handed her the glass and the bottle and led her out to the pool for conversation in the hope that Eddie would soon appear. She was quite a beautiful woman and such a charmer. I didn't blame Eddie for his interest in her. From what I could read of her thoughts, she was just as beautiful inside, where it really matters.

"So, Gilbert! You don't drink alcohol at all?"

I was still unaccustomed to my new name. I knew she was just trying to get the conversation started. "Well, actually I have been quite a drinker in my life. This is just one of my sabbaticals that I sometimes take from alcohol to clear my head."

She put on a cute pout face. "That seems like poor timing, since you're on vacation."

"Well, it's a working vacation. I still have responsibilities to my employer, but I'm enjoying the change of scenery." I didn't want to discuss my current situation and wanted to lead her in a different direction. I nearly slipped and used Eddie's real name. "Brad and I were up fairly late last night working on some new software. I'm not sure when he'll be up. Should I have him call you when he wakes?"

She poured a second glass of wine. "Well, I suppose so. Do you think he'll sleep past three?"

I knew that she wanted to talk about Eddie. I was really uncomfortable. I didn't want to lie, and I couldn't tell her too much. "You seem a little despondent. Is everything all right?"

"Well, I'm going back home tomorrow morning, and I wanted to make sure that Brad had my contact information. Can I talk to you, Gilbert?"

"Of course." Naturally I knew what was on her mind.

"I got out of a bad relationship about a year ago. It was really hard. I haven't dated anyone since, and frankly, I had no intention of doing so until I met Brad. There's just something about him that seems so right. I hope I'm not being too forward."

OK, at this point you're probably realizing that I recognized her as a prescendant, and you're correct; I did. Here I sat with a boat load of information about this young woman, and for the strangest reason I had the compelling desire to amaze her with my knowledge. However, I knew that would only lead to intrigue and suspicion that I absolutely could not afford. So, I bit my tongue and encouraged her in the direction that I knew was preconceived nearly four hundred years ago. She was an admirer of Eddie and kept on the outskirts of our acquaintances. She knew all about Annie back then and didn't want any conflict. Isn't it entertaining how these things work? I never cease to be amused by it.

"Oh, Angela, I don't think you're too forward at all. In fact, there's just something that seems so right about you two. I know Brad is really drawn toward you as well." I nearly slipped again with his name. I figured it was just a matter of time before I blew it. "I've known him a long time, and I never recall him feeling so right about someone before. I guarantee he will contact you, especially when we finish our little software project together."

"Oh, thank you! I hope you're right."

"I'm sure of it."

"Well, I should probably be going. Please have Brad give me a call when he's awake."

"I sure will, Angela."

She left her glass and the half bottle of wine on the table, and I walked her to the front door. I watched her as she made her way to the front gate. She truly was such a nice, young lady, and I really hoped that Brad, I mean Eddie, and she would have a wonderful, long term relationship. I really can't get these names straight.

1:30 PM

This was an opportunity to start simmering a chicken stock for soups, stews, sauces, and rice, so I cut up two chickens, saving the breast meat, and put them in a large stock pot with two gallons of water. I added bay leaf, peppercorns, onion, celery, and carrot and let it slowly simmer. It would come off the heat to cool in about three hours. My stomach was desperate to get something in it. Eddie could eat whenever he got up. I snatched two filet mignon steaks out of the refrigerator to let them warm up. I preheated the oven to 350 degrees and began dicing onion, red potatoes, green pepper, and sweet red pepper. The vegetables were tossed in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. They were then added to a hot, oiled skillet to sauté for about ten minutes. Two cloves of minced garlic were added, and the skilled was placed in the oven. I was in the mood for fried eggs today, which would only take a minute. I decided to pan fry the steak and started warming a small skillet on high heat. I liked my steak cooked very rare. Eddie's would take a bit longer, because he had more of a medium-well liking. Both portions of steak were tossed into the skillet, and I always enjoyed the furious sizzle that it offered. Steam and smoke rose from the skillet and the steaks were turned to brown the other side. The heat was reduced, and about one quarter cup of burgundy wine was added. Once again, it repeated with an explosive sizzle, and I turned the heat off. I could finish Eddie's steak when he was ready, and it wouldn't take long. In another small skillet, two large brown eggs were fried in butter slowly with salt and pepper. When the eggs were done, all was ready to be loaded to my plate. I grabbed a bottle of catsup and doused the hash browns liberally. I then refilled my coffee cup and took my breakfast to the pool area.

What a delightful afternoon it was! I was enjoying the peaceful, soothing sounds of faint bird songs and water lapping the sides of the pool. Breakfast was just what I needed, and I sopped up the last of the egg yolks with my hash browns as a my final bite. I set my plate aside and finished sipping my coffee, trying not to think about the night's obligations. I set my coffee cup on the table, leaned back and promptly fell asleep.

4:22 PM

I awoke to the smell of food cooking in the kitchen. I cleared my head for a minute. I had a great nap. I sauntered into the kitchen to see Eddie at the table devouring his hash browns and steak. I turned off the simmering chicken broth to let it cool and noticed that Eddie didn't have any eggs on his plate.

"No eggs? Would you like for me to fry you up a couple?"

"No, this is fine. I just needed to put it all on a plate and microwave it."

"You microwaved the filet?" I was in shock.

"Yeah, is that a problem?"

I closed my eyes and shook my head. There was no point in teaching him about warming a steak. "No, I guess that's OK. I just would have done it differently, but whatever works for you is fine."

Eddie was too busy chewing and looking at his laptop. I'm not sure he even heard me. I went back out to the pool to retrieve my dirty dishes. When I returned to the kitchen, Eddie looked up at me and reported, "I've been checking everything we did last night. I can't find any problems. I think we're ready to go tonight. I don't think I've ever seen such an operation go so smoothly."

"Great news, Eddie! By the way, Angela stopped by for almost half an hour and wanted to talk. She's concerned that you won't contact her once she gets back home. She wants you to call her."

"I already assured her I would. She's too insecure." Eddie was concentrating on his laptop.

"Maybe, but I know that she's been through a lot emotionally, and she's willing to take a chance at being vulnerable to you. Actually, after reading both your thoughts, I'm sure you two will be fine."

Eddie stopped and looked up. "Damn, I hate that! Just about the time I forget that you can read my thoughts too, you have to bring it up again."

"Sorry, Eddie, but I can't help it. It's just something you'll have to get used to."

Eddie refocused on his laptop. "Angela and I are supposed to get together tonight. She probably wants me to call her to set a time."

"Probably," I agreed. "We won't need to get started until 10:30 tonight."

"OK, I'll give her a call in a little bit. I have something at work that needs attention, but it shouldn't take more than a half hour."

"Cool. See you at 10:30 then."

I put the chicken broth into a large container and placed it in the refrigerator. I then washed out the stock pot and wandered out to the pool area to recline on my favorite deck chair.

11:45 PM

"Adriel! Wake up! Sorry I'm late. Angela was a little clingy and teary eyed tonight, and it was hard to get away, not that I really wanted to."

"Oh my! I guess I dozed off again. What time is it?"

"It's nearly midnight, so we need to get cracking."

"True. I'll get my laptop fired up, and we can get started."

We got settled into our stations. Eddie was in the lounge chair, and I was reclined on the couch. I got my list of email addresses and started making some stabs at communication. It took a couple of hours and several emails with different subject lines before I reached one of the aides to the Secretary of State in Pakistan. Once he responded, I was able to engage him in an email conversation to get more information and access to the Prime Minister. Although I wasn't sure that he was a good initial target, I didn't have a better plan. Eddie was asleep, and I didn't blame him. I could see that this was going to be much like my vocation, providing long periods of numbing boredom accentuated by brief moments of stark terror.

I felt that I was starting to make some progress with my emails when one of the aides became contentious. I had to threaten to expose him for spreading rumors about the president's wife having an affair with a member of the Pakistan Intelligence Community. That struck a chord of fear that gave him a reason to comply with my wishes. Although he did propagate that rumor, which he believed, it was totally false, and that would have made an even greater impact on the exposure. I had enough names in the rumor chain at this point that I could provide detailed information, some of which I intentionally let slip to this contentious aide.

I now had the clearance that I needed to get my message through to the Prime Minister. The subject title had to be a lapel grabber, so I decided on "India Aware of Your Virus Warfare." I explained the knowledge about the Pakistani operative who planted the virus in the Lakshadweep Islands. I figured that would elicit a response. Little did I know. Within minutes, I was being interrogated about who I was, and where I was located. Reading his thoughts made me apprehensive, because he alerted his chief security advisor to start a search mission to find me.
Friday, November 16, 2:14 AM

I immediately woke Eddie and brought him up to speed. He went to work, utilizing his software to monitor the activity on the email routes. I was in a furious email exchange with the Prime Minister. I read his thoughts, and as I parroted back what I knew, he became very heated and excited. I could also read the thoughts of the advisor and the technical analysts assigned to track me. I kept relaying everything to Eddie about their tactics to find us. My heart was racing. I knew there was definitely no turning back at this point. I broke into a sweat, and my fingers trembled on the keyboard.

My heart began to sink when I learned that the Prime Minister had absolutely no knowledge about the virus. I began to think that my conflicting source was telling the truth. Eddie encouraged me not to give up. He still believed the virus was a reality. The Prime Minister wanted me to name my sources of information. I stood my ground and explained that I could not do that at this time. I was reading a long list of names from his thoughts and dictating them to Eddie to write down. Spelling was a challenge, and I instructed him to write phonetically. Eddie had jotted about thirty names for me to track. At this point I realized that I was barking up the wrong tree, but I had a good list of leads. I stopped responding to his emails.

Eddie could see some of the tracing that the technical analysts had attempted, which led nowhere. He knew it was only a matter of time before they found his black box. He wanted me to disclose the black box with instructions not to tamper with it, or they would not be able to communicate with me. I refused, because I thought that just brought them one step closer to me. I was hoping that they would waste most of their time lost in one of the roundhouses. Luckily, this is exactly what happened. Unless I caught a thought from them that proved otherwise, I wasn't giving any more information.

I started following the trail of thirty names, and it was like climbing a tree. There were limbs that led to more limbs, and it was exhausting. It blossomed into over twelve hundred contacts, and there was no way I could follow that many. I really needed to find the Pakistani operative who planted the virus, if there really was one. I couldn't target a fictitious individual. I had to choose a likely route. I focused on the director of the Pakistan Intelligence Bureau. I was becoming rather adept at ferreting my way to communicate with my targets.

Within an hour, I was communicating with the director, who was interestingly already aware of my initial contact with the Prime Minister. I resumed my interrogation about the virus. He also adamantly demanded that I identify myself. I explained that it wasn't important who I was, but what I knew. As I read his mind, I disclosed some of his most well kept secrets. I have to admit that it was entertaining to see him squirm in his responses. He conceded and recognized that I was a formidable entity who held damaging information, which he would never want exposed. He was also determined to find me and put and end to me. I began to think that I was divulging too much sensitive information, but I wanted his attention, and, oh boy, did I have it!

I then went for his throat and demanded a list of names of potential operatives that could be used to plant the virus. He truthfully denied any knowledge of such a virus, but he complied with my request and sent a long list of names. I assured him that our communication was secure and encrypted. He already knew that fact from his technical advisors. I was the most notorious person in Pakistan by now and greatly feared by everyone.

Eddie had done an excellent job. It was great to listen to the thoughts of the technical analysts who were feverishly trying to trace me. However, I didn't want to get too distracted. I also needed to concentrate on the thoughts and conversations that exploded from my email contacts. At this point, I could lie back and just listen to the buzz that was being generated in Pakistan. I was going to wait for the dust to clear a bit and see where they ended up at the end of their day before I tried any more contact. Eddie was still intently monitoring the communications system. Finally, he looked up at me and said that he didn't think they were making any significant progress. He shrugged his shoulders and put his laptop on the coffee table.

"You know, Eddie, in my wildest dreams I never thought that I'd be number one on anyone's hit list, but tonight, I know that I am."

Eddie just laughed. "Yeah, Adriel, you've pissed off a lot of people in your lifetime, but this one takes the cake. You want to celebrate with a bottle of wine?"

"Make mine a sparkling water, Eddie. I don't dare jeopardize my judgment at this point."

"Good point! Same here! Sparkling water it is."

We sipped our water and giggled as we recounted the email conversations and the thoughts that I expounded for the next two hours. We had done something very significant, and I shuddered to think of what the federal government would do if they knew what talent we possessed. At this point, it seemed like we could control the world, but I didn't want such delusional thinking to cloud my judgment and planning. It scared me how much power had such a dizzying influence on the brain's ego. Here was my brain, trying to take credit for something that my soul was doing.

6:00 AM

It was 4:00 PM in Pakistan. Thoughts were still buzzing there about the phantom email operative that infiltrated their intelligence with knowledge that was considered impossible to obtain. I needed to let things cook a while, so I decided to give Evelyn a call.

"Good morning, Sweetie! Did you sleep well last night?"

"It's hard to sleep in bed without you here. Any idea when you'll be home?"

"Not yet! Maybe you should pile up my pillows next to you. That might give you a sense that I'm there."

"Oh, I tried that already. They are room temperature, while you are like a furnace at night. It doesn't work so well."

"Sorry! Sounds like you need to stuff the heating pad in them."

"Now there's a thought, Adriel. Replace you with a heating pad. Hmm..."

"Well, I guess my replacement is simpler than I thought."

"Don't worry. The heating pad doesn't talk in its sleep, so I know it can't be you. I miss your nocturnal conversations. You know, sometimes I can actually make out what you are saying."

"That's a little scary!"

"Not really! So, are you making any progress yet?"

"Actually we are, and that is a little scary. I can't tell you about it, but I should start taking notes. I might publish a book about this someday under a pseudo name after I'm dead."

"I don't think that's a good idea, dear. It could prove to be dangerous for our children."

"Too true. Anyway, it is exciting. Hopefully, someday I can tell you all about it."

"I hope so too. Well, dear, I need to get ready for work. I miss you."

"I miss you too. I'll try calling later. I love you."

"Love you too. Bye, bye!"

"Bye, Sweetie."

It was nap time. I needed to set an alarm for 9:00 AM. That way I could monitor some thoughts during their evening hours to see if any clandestine conversations took place that the officials didn't know. I stumbled up the stairs and fell into bed. I forgot the alarm.

12:19 PM

I awoke with a start. I glanced at the clock. I was disappointed that I had overslept, but I started linking to some of the contacts to see if any conversations were taking place. I hopped from person to person, and suddenly I came to a screeching halt. I had an operative who was discussing the virus in a cryptic manner. He was cryptic in conversation but very revealing in his thoughts. I was now able to trace my way to the operative who planted the virus. It's amazing how sometimes we just seem to luck into a major breakthrough, but I knew full well that there's no such thing as luck. I had just confirmed that the virus was not a hoax. Now, what about the conflicting information that I received? I was hoping to get some answers there as well, but in due time.

I started wondering what it was that awoke me so abruptly. It was a sound. I knew that. As I lay there trying to identify the sound, it happened again. My stomach was growling so loudly that it nearly frightened me. It was angry at the abuse that it was suffering and demanded to be fed. I tried consoling it with the idea of a high stack of French toast interleaved with Eggs Benedict and dripping with Hollandaise sauce. It wasn't calming down and demanded action. What had become of my life? I was conversing with by stomach while reading people's minds from across the globe. What next?

1:30 PM

I trippingly descended the stairs and jogged into the kitchen. Much to my surprise, Eddie was sitting at the table studying his laptop. I didn't disturb him and made a beeline for the coffee pot. Within minutes, I had a large, steaming cup of Colombian coffee with cream and stevia in my hand. That was a good start.

"Eddie, did you sleep?"

"No! I tried, but I couldn't. I've been too busy watching these Pakistanis trying to trace us. They're making some progress as far as realizing how difficult it is, but so far I see no real breakthroughs. Hopefully, they will believe that the trail is cold, and that it's virtually impossible to find us. They don't know about the black box yet. They can see that the return mail is encrypted early in the process."

"I know what they're thinking, Eddie. They think that the decryption software resides in the email itself."

"Oh, wow, Adriel! I wish I had thought of that."

"Believe me, Eddie. I think you did just fine."

"Just the same, I think that's exactly what I will do. That will alleviate the need for the black box. I can hide it in the email wrapper, compressed and encrypted."

"When are you going to do that? We've already started."

"I can easily get this done this weekend. Then I'll destroy the black boxes on the email servers. It's easier than you think. If I had done that from the beginning, it would have saved us some time."

"Just don't jeopardize our communications, Eddie. We can't afford that."

"Who do think you're talking to? I'm the one who designed all of this. This is cake and pie."

"Let's just hope we don't end up with egg on our faces. Speaking of eggs, are you hungry?"

"I never stopped to think about it, but yeah, I could eat something."

"How about a large stack of French toast with Eggs Benedict in between? I'll have to use bacon instead of ham, but it should be great."

"Sounds good. Knock yourself out, Adriel."

I wanted to combine the sweetness of the French toast with the savory aspects of the Eggs Benedict. I grabbed a loaf of whole wheat bread and pulled out eight slices. I cut the crusts off and set them aside. Three eggs were beaten with a little buttermilk, a dash of salt, stevia, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and almond extract. The bread slices were soaked in the egg mixture, and each one was fried until firm. Next, I slowly cooked eight slices of bacon and poached four eggs. The French toast was placed on a baking tray and interleaved with bacon and poached eggs, building two separate stacks. This went into a 350 degree oven. I needed more eggs for the Hollandaise. I could see that we would have to get to the grocery this weekend. Half a pound of Irish butter was melted in a pan until it frothed. I squeezed half a lemon into the blender and dropped in three egg yolks. The melted butter was then drizzled into the blender on low speed. I increased the blender speed after half the butter was added and continued to drizzle in the rest. The sauce was nice and thick. The French toast stacks were removed from the oven, transferred to two plates and smothered with Hollandaise.

"Breakfast is served!" I placed Eddie's plate beside his laptop and set my plate down across from him. I went to get a coffee refill.

Eddie took a bite of his breakfast and looked over at the plate. "Gee whiz, Adriel! This is really good, but if we eat all of this without having heart attacks, I'll be amazed."

I just laughed and dug into my stack of eggs, eggs, more eggs and bacon, and did I mention the butter? "So, Eddie, when do you plan to sleep?"

"I don't know. Once I get started on this stuff, I don't get tired."

"Well, I woke up today and had a major breakthrough." I had nearly forgotten my progress in light of breakfast.

"Yeah, what was that?" Eddie was talking mechanically. I knew he was deep in thought.

"I found the operative who planted the virus."

Eddie stopped, blinked and looked up at me. "You did what?"

"I found the operative who planted the virus," I repeated with emphasis.

"Are you kidding me? You really found this guy? How?"

"First of all, I didn't find this guy. I found this gal."

"You mean it's a woman? Isn't that a little strange for Pakistan to use a woman as an operative?"

"Actually, I'm finding that it's not that strange. Women make for better covert operations."

"How did you find her?"

"I thought-hopped my way through a chain of intelligence personnel after I woke up today and lucked onto her. Although we don't believe in luck; you get the idea."

"So, you were being lied to about the virus being a hoax."

"I sure was, and I hope to get to the bottom of that, because the perpetrators for that false information have fled the coop."

"What do you mean fled the coop, Adriel?"

"I mean, once I confirmed the virus, the thoughts that they were generating disappeared."

"What are we dealing with here? I thought the overseers were supplying you with information. Who could this be?"

"I don't know yet, Eddie, but I'm fairly certain that I'm going to find out at some point and hopefully sooner than later."

3:15 PM

I could see that Eddie was on a mission to update his software. It was just as well. It would keep him busy while I did some investigating to follow the operative who planted the virus. I was fairly certain that I could connect the dots backward to the virus engineers. At some point, I was going to have to find a team who would be capable and willing to find a cure. I knew that would have to happen on my own soil, so I started thinking of how I could get American scientists onboard. I was assessing whether I needed to continue searching, or if I just needed to catch up on some much needed sleep. I figured that Eddie had the whole communication issue covered, and I realized that it was after midnight in Pakistan, so I decided to go back upstairs for a nap after I finished cleaning the kitchen.

11:15 PM

I awoke in darkness. It felt good to know that I slept past sundown. I did feel much better. I wanted to call Evelyn, but I knew that she was already asleep. I started my rounds with the Pakistani government officials. There was still a murmur about me, and it didn't appear that anyone was able to trace my cyber tracks. I homed in on the female operative who planted the virus. Her name was Javeria. Unfortunately, she was still sleeping. I'm sure that she didn't keep business hours like the government, so I was going to have to learn her schedule. It was Saturday morning in Pakistan, and my days and nights were already upside down. I needed to get caught up on sleep and try to adjust to more of a daytime schedule for the weekend. I lay in the darkness for over an hour and realized that there was no sleep left in me at this point. I decided to go downstairs for a while.
Saturday, November 17 12:35 AM

The pool area sounded inviting. I thought maybe the night air would help clear my head. As I descended the stairs, I noticed that there was a light on in the kitchen. Sure enough, Eddie was hard at work updating his software. He didn't even notice me as I walked past him to go out to the pool. I settled into a deck chair and listened to the sounds of the night. Nocturnal birds and animals gave the atmosphere a tropical ambience. The air was a little chilly, so I went back upstairs to grab a sweatshirt.

As I pulled my sweatshirt from the hanger, it dawned on me that I had strong-armed a very powerful man merely by reading his thoughts and recounting some intimate information that he didn't want disclosed. It was essentially a form of blackmail, and I realized that it was extremely effective. It was the opposite of a bribe. Instead of giving someone something to get them to do my bidding, I was threatening to take something away, and they were complying with my wishes. It suddenly occurred to me that I could control these government officials to do exactly what I wanted. The sense of power was frightening and somewhat overwhelming. It's funny how you can daydream about these kinds of situations and assume that you would react or handle them in a certain way, but when it really happens, it blindsides you with temptations that you never realized were lurking in the shadows. It reminded me of how naive we were before we descended. Once we got here, it was nothing like we imagined. Even after watching so many descendants for thousands of years, we still had no clue what life was like on earth.

I went back to the pool area to settle into a deck chair with a blanket and start scheming. Before I could really plan my next move, I needed to focus on Javeria to see if I could follow a chain back to the contact who gave her the virus. These chains of contacts seemed endless, and there were so many branches to follow. She was finally awake, and I was encouraged. I was hoping that maybe she would think about the virus with all of the rumors and chatter about the mysterious email intruder. The only problem was that none of the subject matter from my emails was shared outside the handful of government officials that needed to know. Nevertheless, I might find an opportunity. Obviously, she hadn't been awake long, and she was still in bed. Unfortunately, I could see that she had a companion for the night, and he was just waking up as well. Oh dear! It's things like this that I wish I really didn't have to know. Oh boy, they were at it again. I decided to tune in later when she was in more of a business mood.

I went back into the kitchen and tried to engage Eddie in some conversation. I was going to need to do some grocery shopping in the morning, and I wanted to know if he had any preferences on what to eat for the coming week. He grunted and mumbled, and I was beginning to feel like a housewife attempting to urge some kind of a response out of a husband who was totally engrossed in something else and was temporarily deaf. It was hopeless. This is probably one of the aspects that makes him so good at what he does. He has such a high concentration level that he wouldn't notice a bomb going off in the same room.

I grabbed a paper and pen and started a grocery list. I know lots of people put their lists on their phones or take pictures of what they need to replenish, but I was old school, and paper lists were just fine for me. If Mr. Deaf, Dumb and Blind wouldn't respond, I decided to choose the week's menu by myself. Since we had a charcoal grill at our disposal, I figured some barbecued pork ribs would be nice, along with sweet potatoes and green peas. We could eat the leftovers for lunches. I chose a marinated turkey breast with an oyster mushroom sauce, accompanied by sautéed zucchini and peppers for another dinner. Eddie didn't like mushrooms, but that would have to be his problem. No input, no choice. I needed to choose one more significant dinner, and I had just the thing. Grilled red snapper with rice pilaf and spinach pie would be delightful. Now, we were in business, and I was going to give that charcoal grill a workout this coming week.

2:32 AM

Finally, Javeria had kicked this guy out of her flat. She was uncharacteristically forward and autonomous for her culture. I could detect that she was in the shower planning her day. There were so many mundane thoughts, and I hated reading her mind about her personal female issues. This is a messy business for sure. I was back out at the pool with a blanket and a cup of strong English breakfast tea. I needed a break from coffee and hoped that the tea would be just enough to keep me alert while I read Javeria's thoughts. She had plans to see her sister in the afternoon. Her parents were having a family dinner on Sunday. Her friend, who lived across the hall, was upset due to an unwanted pregnancy. It went on and on, and I was bored to tears. I was getting nowhere with this, and I had no way of steering her thoughts to what I needed to know.

As I began to accept that the people of Pakistan do not take their jobs home with them, I was relieved that I could have a weekend off. Since I wasn't planning on reading any minds this weekend, I decided to take a respite and enjoy a glass of warm cognac. I hadn't planned on consuming any alcohol, but Eddie and I did bring a couple of bottles of brown liquor with us, just in case. I went into the kitchen and found a nice crystal snifter in the cabinet. I let the tap water reach maximum temperature and rinsed the snifter in the hot water until it was quite warm. I dried it and carefully poured the cognac down the side of the glass in a circular motion, transferring the heat to the cognac. I then returned to the deck chair by the pool and curled up with my blanket and aromatic libation that smelled delectable.

I was exhausted from thinking and scheming and reading people's thoughts. I cleared my mind and gingerly sipped the cognac, letting a few drops at a time roll over my tongue and enjoying the slight burn as it encircled my mouth. The flavor was exquisite, and I knew that I would want another glass, but I kept to my principle of a clear head. I knew that I was going back to bed after this one drink, and by morning I should be fresh as a daisy. I was beginning to relax and feel the soothing effects of the cognac throughout my body. It had been many days since I had imbibed, and I was far more sensitive to its relaxing properties. Although I was thoroughly enjoying the cognac, this proved to be my last drink for a very long time.

It was now after 3:00 AM, and I was feeling drowsy enough for sleep, so I rinsed out the snifter in the kitchen sink and headed back upstairs. Eddie hadn't budged and was hypnotically working on his software upgrade. I didn't bother retrieving my pajamas from the dresser and opted to sleep in my t-shirt and shorts. It was nap time, and I had errands to run in the morning and meal preparation to do for the upcoming week. I was asleep in minutes.

6:15 AM

I rolled over and read the clock. I had snagged another three hours of sleep, which was good. I did feel refreshed and remembered that brandy always had a way of offering me a good night's sleep. I wanted to talk to Evelyn, but I knew that she was still lightly snoring at this time on Saturday morning. I would wait another hour or so, then I would give her a call. I thought perhaps that a brisk walk would be just the thing that I needed on an early weekend morning after a strong cup of coffee, naturally. I stretched and decided that I wouldn't shower until after my walk.

I went to the kitchen and started the coffee. Eddie had evidently found an opportunity for sleep, because his laptop was closed on the table, and he wasn't within sight. As I stepped out to the pool area, I saw that it was drizzling rain and had been for quite some time. The telltale puddles and smell of the freshly cleaned air were obvious signs that this had not just started. I was still tempted to go for a walk, and had it been warmer, I probably would have taken a stroll in the rain, but not today. I poured my coffee and added my customary cream and stevia. While I was sipping my coffee, I reviewed the grocery list. I added a few things to be sure that we didn't run out of various staples that I used on a regular basis.

I didn't know how long Eddie would be asleep, so I settled on a light breakfast after a long, hot shower, and then I called Evelyn. She was surprised how much time she spent performing the tasks that I used to do when I was at home. I hated the fact that she was on her own and had assumed my responsibilities. I did the shopping, cooking, bill payment, bank account balancing, some of the cleaning and several other little things. Thankfully, we were heading into winter soon, and she didn't have the yard responsibilities to worry about. We had extensive landscaping and enjoyed grooming our yard and caring for our flowers, but it was very time consuming and frankly overwhelming for only one person. I promised to call her in the evening after giving her the rundown of my plans for the day. She was missing my cooking.

I figured that the grocery shelves should be stocked by this time, so I grabbed my car keys and grocery list and headed out. I always find grocery shopping relaxing, and I like to familiarize myself with different sections of the store to see what kinds of food they offer. I lean more toward organic foods, and this grocery had a really nice area dedicated to organic, healthy alternatives. I did most of my shopping in this area and the produce section. I did my best to buy organic meats and steered clear of preservatives and additives, and I was pleased that this grocery had a lot to offer in that arena as well.

10:35 AM

Eddie was up again and helped bring in the groceries. He was making great progress on his software updates and had done considerably more work with the email package format. He said that the changes were more of an efficiency concern than a functional aspect. I let him continue his testing while I made him a light breakfast. Afterward, I turned my attention to meal preparation and started marinating the turkey breast in sherry, pineapple juice and soy sauce. I then rubbed the pork ribs with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, and stevia and placed them in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. It then dawned on me that I hadn't accessed my work schedule lately, so I logged onto work and checked for any impending projects. I had three more projects. Two were fairly simple, and one was a bit more complex. I decided to spend most of the day playing catch up on work. After a few hours, I was pleased with the progress that I had made and turned my attention to dinner.

3:30 PM

The turkey needed to marinate for a couple of days, and the pork ribs would be good for another four days. I decided to prepare the fish with rice and spinach pie for our evening meal. I had taken the time to create a rich chicken broth a couple of days ago that would give the rice a flavorful base. The spinach pie had to go into the oven long before anything else was started, so I minced an onion with four cloves of garlic. The spinach went into the microwave to cook it quickly. It reduced considerably, and the excess water was squeezed out between two dinner plates. The spinach was mixed with onion, garlic, oregano, and feta cheese cut into small cubes. Next, a beaten egg, three tablespoons of flour, and two cups of Parmesan cheese were added. I wasn't bothering with any phyllo dough and pressed the mixture into a square baking dish. The dish was covered with aluminum foil and placed in the oven at 375 degrees. It was time to start the rice. I reduced two cups of chicken broth to about half and then added the brown rice, minced shallots, celery, carrot, and garlic. A few small diced tomatoes with saffron, thyme and marjoram were also added. The rice needed to cook for about an hour, so I put the lid on the pan and turned the heat on low. After the spinach pie had baked for an hour, the foil was removed and the oven temperature was reduced to 350 degrees. I was so happy to have found a fresh whole red snapper and began washing it under the kitchen faucet. Just as I was drying the fish with some paper towels, Eddie interrupted with some news.

"Hey, Adriel! I just got an email from the owners of the house wanting to know how things were going. I'm going to let them know all is well and mention how beautiful the house is and how thick the walls are. I want you to home in on their thoughts."

"Oh, really! This sounds intriguing. Let me wash my hands, and I'll join you in a minute."

Eddie emailed the owners and mentioned the thick walls. I was astonished that Eddie had been absolutely correct about the passageways. The owners blew off the thick walls as a means to house additional ventilation and plumbing. I already had the information to the access areas and where it all led. I teased Eddie with my knowledge for about twenty minutes until he started getting heated. I conceded, and told him that after dinner we would go exploring, as though we needed any additional adventure in our lives.

I returned to the fish that I had just cleaned. The entrails had been removed, and the eye was very clear with no cloudiness, signifying a freshness that I always required in fresh whole fish. I scraped any remaining scales from the outside and washed and dried it again. It was then ready to be rubbed all over with extra virgin olive oil and minced garlic. A sprinkle of salt, pepper, and oregano were used to cover the fish and lemon slices were placed in the abdominal cavity before nestling it into a fish grate for grilling. It was time to remove the spinach pie from the oven and let it cool. I then lit the charcoal in the grill and waited for the coals to get nice and white. The rice was nearly done, so the heat was turned off to let it cool slowly as it finished.

Finally, the coals were glimmering with short tongues of fire leaping up, and I spread them out before I put the cooking grid into place. In a couple of minutes, the fish grate was placed over the coals. There was a slight sizzle as the heat met the fish. The grill was covered to let the fish cook for about five minutes. The fish was then turned to reveal a blackening on the underside, and the grill was covered again. All vents on the grill were closed as I let the fish finish cooking through. Fish and chicken should only be cooked just until done. Otherwise, they begin to dry out and lose flavor. Grills cook much faster than an oven, so I knew that it was time to remove the fish and take it out of the grate.

Eddie had just closed his laptop as I was pulling the skeleton from the fish, which left two very nice red snapper filets that I transferred to our plates. I whisked warm lemon juice, salt, pepper and tarragon with some frothed butter to pour over the fish. I gave us a generous portion of the spinach pie and a mound of rice to enjoy. We were obviously hungry, because neither of us said a word while we devoured our dinner.

7:35 PM

Eddie and I finished cleaning up our dinner mess and got all of the dishes in the dishwasher. I knew he was eager to go exploring, so I started the dishwasher and led him to the master suite on the top floor. I still had not disclosed the accesses, because I knew it would be more intriguing for him to watch me open them. We went into the lounge area, and I reached up on the left side of the bookcase just above my head to feel for the latch. I readily found it and released the bookcase, which swung open to the right, revealing a narrow hallway. There was dim lighting all along the hall, so there was no need to supply additional light. We stepped in to start our little evening adventure.

Once inside, we had a choice of going left or right, both of which started with a descending stair that would take us to a level that was just beneath the window sills on the outside walls. Eddie was examining everything circumspectly, and I could read his thoughts of wonderment and impression over the construction of the passage. We moved slowly, stopping to acclimate where we were in the house and to look through the observation portals that were cleverly disguised on the inside of the rooms. We looked at one another with raised eyebrows, because it seemed a little kinky to have this sort of spying vantage available to someone. I don't think there was a single room that didn't have an observation portal. Eddie pointed out the webcams that were installed in the passage that could show the activity in every room.

We continued to wind around and had to make decisions which direction to take when we were faced with a fork in the passage. We traveled in a complete circle at one point and then took a different path. There were stairs that led to the floors below and passages throughout that proved to offer access to every room in the house. We finally ended up on the first floor behind the wall of the office, and just as Eddie had suspicioned, there was a huge steel, fireproof safe, which we knew must hold their most precious possessions. Eddie's curiosity was overwhelming, and he wanted me to get the combination to the safe. I assured him that doing that would be a serious crime. We weren't about to become safecrackers, even if we knew we wouldn't steal a single thing. However, I wasn't opposed to reading the owner's mind about the contents of the safe. Not far from the safe was a mid-range computer server that controlled the security aspects of house.

We still didn't realize that we had not yet found the most interesting aspect to the passage. We moved on from the office and found the stairway that led to the basement. Once again, there was no room without portal observation. We descended even further and surmised that we must be under the pool. The hallway stretched out for several yards, and we couldn't determine where it led, so we just kept following. There were two forks as we continued, so we decided to keep to the right at each one in order to prevent getting lost. It was difficult to estimate how far we had traveled, but we were inclined to agree on about one hundred yards. Suddenly the dim lighting stopped at one point along the way, and we continued from the lit portion of this tunnel in darkness toward a faint light at the other end. When we got to the end of the tunnel, there was an iron gate that appeared to be camouflaged from the outside by overgrowth. There was a large padlock, and the key to the padlock was inside the tunnel on the floor, which we could see with our cell phone lights. The sun had already set, so it was difficult to see out to determine where we were.

Suddenly, we were horrified. I don't know if Eddie and I both had the same thought at the same time, or if I read his mind, but it was instantaneous. We turned to one another in wild-eyed terror as we had realized that we were under surveillance during our entire stay. No wonder we got to stay in this house free of charge. I couldn't see how I missed it, but apparently the owners didn't think about the webcams when I was reading their thoughts. Immediately, I focused on them to see if I could read anything. It was well after midnight in Paris. Luckily, they were asleep and would not have noticed us entering the passage on camera. Eddie knew that the webcam activity had to be recorded somewhere. We rushed back to the house. Eddie figured that the computer server that we found behind the first floor office must be where the video recordings were stored.

We were now in the living area, and Eddie was pacing nervously trying to recall if we might have disclosed anything incriminating. I couldn't think of anything other than entering the passage. If they saw that, there could be trouble. Eddie was more concerned that our faces were on camera. That was a very traceable aspect if we were compromised. I tried to get him to calm down, because after all, we were still on camera. The only place in this house that was free from surveillance was in the passageways. We decided to do more exploring.
Sunday, November 18, 2:14 AM

Eddie had looked for audio equipment and couldn't seem to find anything. He was fairly certain that the owners were recording only video. We were trying to decide if we should destroy the recordings on the server. This would require gaining access, which Eddie was fairly certain that he could do. The cameras were motion activated, so there would be less to erase if we could get to that point. I didn't see how we could leave the house without destroying all images of our faces. We had too much to lose. Should we just disguise ourselves from here on and destroy the early videos? What if there was a backup that we didn't know about? I really didn't need more stress at this point, but I also realized that things happen for a reason. If Eddie hadn't been curious about the passages, we never would have known about the videos. I hate lose ends, and I was already concerned about Angela. This was much more disconcerting.

Eddie discussed various possibilities. He had some good reasoning that if we were never traced to this house, and especially to Orlando, it was rather moot. If no one questioned the reason for our presence here, it really wouldn't be an issue. I agreed, and that calmed me down a bit. If we started acting suspiciously now, that could lead to investigation and inquiry. So in the end, we decided to continue with business as usual, but with the guarded notion that we were being watched.

Now that we had temporarily resolved this issue, Eddie had another topic to discuss. He was going to fly home for Thanksgiving this week. This came as somewhat of a surprise to me, because it wasn't on his mind when I was aware. I understood, and I immediately became saddened that I wouldn't be with my family. Eddie explained that if I didn't keep contact with the folks on the other side of the world during this time, they could possibly deduce that I was in the United States. It was perfectly logical. Eddie promised to return on Saturday, so I was going to be alone for three days. I guess I would be eating turkey breast all by myself. Evelyn and I hadn't discussed the holiday at this point, but I needed to talk to her when she got up later this morning. So, with that depressing piece of news disclosed, I decided to get some sleep.

9:48 AM

I was anxious to talk with Evelyn. I had another seven hours of sleep under my belt and picked up the phone. She was doing her weekly housecleaning when she answered my call. I immediately started talking about the holiday. Although she had hoped that I could make it home, she realized that it may not be feasible. She tried to comfort me and tell me that it was all right, but I could read her thoughts. It broke my heart, and I started to cry. I felt so low at this point, and there wasn't much that I could do. When I started this venture, I never considered being gone over the holidays. I promised her that I would be home for Christmas, because a large part of this world celebrates, and it wouldn't look too obvious if I didn't have contact with the other players abroad at that time. I asked about the kids and whether they knew that I wouldn't be home. She had told them that I was involved in a government mission, and she couldn't discuss it. They thought she was joking until she told them I may not be home for Thanksgiving. She told them not to discuss it with anyone. I had to admit that was good thinking on her part and fairly true, except that our government didn't know that I was on a government mission, but that's rather moot here.

I was in a terrible funk, and even the thought of cooking didn't excite me. I wasn't even hungry. I knew that around midnight I needed to engage in world events again, and my head was spinning with the thoughts of reconnecting with Javeria, the Prime Minister and others who might come into play. All the while, I was concerned about Angela, the webcams, the upcoming holiday, and I felt so unprepared and inadequate. What did I think I was doing? I wasn't cut out for this. Why did this happen to me? I was purposely trying not to read anyone's thoughts, because I was so exhausted from all of this.

Sadly, cooking was my only diversion at this point. I started some hickory chips soaking in water for the ribs tonight. I decided on a late dinner since we were going to be up most of the night. I would get to try Eddie's new software configuration, but from what he told me, I wouldn't notice any differences. Although barbecue sauce doesn't take much time to make, it could simmer for half the day to enrich the flavor. I leisurely chopped a large onion with an equal amount of celery and sautéed them on low heat for about fifteen minutes. Apple cider vinegar, honey, and molasses were added to balance out the sweet-tart taste. Worcestershire provided additional flavor and saltiness. After simmering for a few minutes, it was time to add some chili powder, cumin, and a generous amount of paprika with salt and pepper. After several more minutes, I added enough catsup to thicken and flavor the sauce and turned the heat on low to let it slowly simmer while I went to the pool area to sulk.

The rain had ended late last night so everything was still fairly wet. I sat on the edge of the pool and dangled my lower legs in the water. I always stayed near the shallow end of the pool, because I had never learned to swim. The few times I ever tried, I just sank like a rock. I could never float. I suspicioned that there was a brick inside my body somewhere. To compound the situation, I could never stand to have my head underwater. I don't know if this stemmed from my chronic asthma or my claustrophobia. I truly was pathetic.

12:14 PM

Eddie came out to the pool. "Hey! What's up? I've never seen you get wet before."

"Oh, everything out here is soaked from the rain. I thought as long as I was going to sit, I'd be wet, so I decided to sit on the edge of the pool."

"You're going to catch a cold out here. Come on in and dry off. We can talk."

I didn't feel much like talking, but Eddie was obviously in the mood. "OK, I'll grab a towel and meet you in the living area."

After drying off, I checked on the sauce. It was simmering nicely, and I stirred it to keep it from sticking on the bottom of the pan. I then settled down on the couch, and let Eddie start the conversation.

"Look, Adriel. I can see that you're depressed, but you had to know that things like the holiday and being away from home were going to be part of this. I also explained that there would be times that I would have to go back home and travel for work. As much as it scares me to leave you alone, because I never know what you might do, it's unavoidable."

"I know, Eddie. I just need some time to adjust. I'll be all right."

"You know we have had some really crazy experiences in the past week. I thought that it would be nice to unwind and get back to some of our usual conversations for a while. It might give us a break from the intensity of this situation."

"That sounds like a great idea. I miss our old discussions. Where do you want to start?"

"Well, I have this idea of our ascension that sort of coincides with your explanation of dimensions, but it's a very different perspective. I'm sure you'll relate to this, because you like to oil paint."

"Sounds intriguing. Go on."

"I have this idea that when we die, all that we see is white. The white relates to a blank canvass, and we have the opportunity to paint our eternal lives however we want. When we were born into this world, we didn't necessarily get to choose our parents or our circumstances, but in the next life it is left entirely up to us as to who and what will be in our lives for eternity. So, I would be able to choose my family members, friends and whatever aspect I could imagine to paint my eternal world the way that I wanted."

"That's a very poetic betrayal of the freedom bestowed on the ascendants. I like it."

"You talked about levels of dimensions. In my perspective, that relates to the size of the canvass, the number of brushes and the available colors that we have to create our eternal life picture. We are given parameters to what we can put on our canvasses, and the upper levels of dimensions equates to being able to add more to our larger canvass to enjoy for eternity."

"That's a refreshing and comforting view. I would only add one more thing to that."

"Like what?"

"Well, we have limits in our experiences and relationships, and when we leave this world there is an element of surprise and wonder when the unknown is revealed to us. So, I would add that for every item that you get to paint on your canvass, the Creator has equal opportunity to add something wonderful that you never before experienced or comprehended in your wildest dreams."

"I can buy that, Adriel, but I do think that there is the element of choice on our part as well. As was written, 'You have been faithful with little; I will make you ruler over much.'"

"Nice reference, Eddie. That definitely ties into your view of heaven. I like it."

"Well, it's a view that I have held for some time now."

"It makes sense. You have always been very family oriented and sentimental. I can see how that would be something that you would anticipate. Why wouldn't our eternal lives be an extension of who we were on earth? Say, I hate to cut this short, but I'd like to do some more exploring. I want to see where those forks in the lower passages lead. In fact, I'd like to open the gates and look around."

"Are you out of your mind, Adriel? They'll see us enter the passage on camera."

"Well, not if we enter from the basement in the dark."

"Oh, you are devious. Let's go."

Within seconds Eddie and I trotted downstairs to the basement and made sure that all lighting was off or dimmed enough to hide our entrance into another passage which was located behind one of the bar displays. We jogged our way underground to the first fork and took a left. We had kept right the first time we were here, so we decided to try the left side of the two forks to determine where they led. We had trotted along for about five minutes when we found the end of the tunnel.

We took the anticipated key from the floor and opened the iron gate that locked the passage from the outside world. Once again, this entrance was covered with overgrowth, and we pushed the vines aside to emerge onto a beautifully manicured park of some sort. It took less than a minute after walking a few feet to see the golf greens in the distance. I wasn't a golfer, but I could read Eddie's mind, and he was sorry that he didn't bring his clubs. I just grinned and shook my head. He knew full well that I was reading his mind.

I motioned him back to the passage, and we locked the gate behind us. We trotted off to the next fork to continue following to the left. This passage proved to be far longer than the two that we had traversed. It took about fifteen minutes to reach the end, and I was beginning to get a bit winded. We could immediately see that this gate did not exit into the open. I grabbed the key, opened the gate, and we stepped into an underground parking garage.

I turned to Eddie and asked, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Eddie gave me a look of disgust and replied, "You know exactly what I'm thinking. Why would you ask such a thing?"

"I don't know. I just like the sound of it. I was just thinking that all we needed to do was find out how to park in this garage, and we could have a clean getaway if we ever needed one."

"I'm not carrying groceries for a mile back to the house, Adriel; I'll tell you that!"

"No, stupid! We'd drive to the house, unload the groceries, and then drive back here to the garage."

"No, we wouldn't drive back to the garage, you would drive back to the garage. Gee whiz! You're already out of breath. I can't imagine you making this trip every time you wanted to go out."

"Well, it's only once a week. It just sounds safer to me."

"Let's not get crazy here, Adriel. This is nice to know, for sure, but I'm not ready to get paranoid."

We entered the tunnel again and decided to return to the first exit that we had found the day before. Once again, I opened the gate with the key, and we made our way through the vines that draped over the gate. I stopped short, because there was about a six foot drop to a stream below which looked like it was over my head. Eddie went around me and climbed upward about six feet to get a better view. I followed. It appeared that we were in some sort of a city park. There was a road nearby with an occasional car passing. We walked around a little and decided to use our phones to get a better understanding of where these exits were located on the map from the house.

The park where we were was easy to locate; however, there were three golf courses nearby, and we were wishing that we had used our maps at the other locations to pinpoint where we were. We didn't have a clue as to where the parking garage was. We had to know, so we returned to the golf course and used our maps to pinpoint our location. We then returned to the underground garage, and much to our surprise, we were in the basement garage of a huge residence. I got a little nervous, because I was afraid that we might be seen, or that we were already seen on camera. We backed our way into the passage and locked the gate.

Once we got back to the house, Eddie started researching who owned the other house. He used the county assessor's online records to find the property with the description and ownership. As we should have expected, the house was owned by the same people who owned the one where we were staying. We began to suspicion that although they had lucrative professions, they just might have other income that we hadn't suspected. My imagination went wild with the thought of the hidden cameras, but I kept my sordid ideas to myself and turned my attention to dinner.

6:15 PM

I wanted to smoke the pork ribs for a few hours, so I retrieved them from the refrigerator and put them in a large, shallow pan. I got the charcoal started in a pile on one side of the grill and waited for them to turn half white. Once the coals were ready, I sprinkled a handful of soaked, hickory chips on the coals and lightly stirred them in with a grill tool. I put the cooking grid on the grill and placed the ribs on the opposite side from the coals. Next, the cover went on with a slight crack in the top vent to allow a little air flow. I needed to replenish the chips and charcoal about every half hour.

The smell of the smoking hickory and the fat from the ribs provided a mouth watering aroma that whetted our appetites. I was definitely going to need a shower before we got started tonight, because I wasn't just smoking ribs but my hair and clothes as well. After about three hours of tending to the meat, I heated the oven and put in the sweet potatoes. It was time to remove the ribs and submerge them in the simmered barbecue sauce. While the ribs were bathing in sauce, I spread the charcoal across the entire bottom of the grill and added more coals on top to get them to ignite.

Half an hour later, it was time to finish the barbecue. I put the cooking grid back over the coals and gave it a few minutes to get hot. The ribs were pulled from the sauce and placed over the blazing coals. They sizzled and crackled as the most incredibly delectable aroma filled the air. This was the point at home when my neighbors would go wild. The secret behind great barbecue was this current step of searing on the sauce. You could blacken it, or keep it browned to whatever degree you desired. I turned the ribs over and over, adding more sauce. Finally, I covered the grill and closed the vents to let the pork finish cooking. Sometimes I would take the ribs from the grill and let them continue in a 300 degree oven for two or three hours until they were ready to fall from the bone, but tonight, we were eating a toothier version. The ribs and potatoes were done, so I microwaved the frozen peas, and we were ready to eat.

9:45 PM

Eddie and I savored our dinner and retired to the living area to relax before the night's tasks were to begin. We talked for a while, and Eddie drifted off to sleep. I headed upstairs for a shower. Afterward, I decided to go out to the pool and enjoy the night air. I dozed for a while and awoke with a start. I was afraid that I had overslept. I checked my phone. It was nearly midnight. I went inside and made a strong cup of English tea. Eddie was still asleep, and I didn't want to disturb him.
Monday, November 19, 12:15 AM

It was time for round two. I returned to the pool with my laptop. I then started another email conversation with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and this time I disclosed some top secret information that he definitely wouldn't want to fall into the hands of the Prime Minister of India. I ordered him to call off the search to find me, and I identified the software technicians by name who were working on the task. He was unaware of their names but quickly verified my knowledge. He was surmising at this point that I was someone within his government who was hiding behind a curtain of untraceable emails. I had his undivided attention. I then disclosed the identity of Javeria and the fact that she had planted a biological weapon on one of the Lakshadweep Islands two years ago. I also told him where to find her. I then signed off.

I had lit a powder keg. There was such a flurry of thought activity that I was overwhelmed just trying to keep up for the next hour and a half. The technicians had been told to halt the search for the mysterious email contact. Javeria was dragged before the Federal Investigation Agency before noon, and an intense interrogation had begun. All I needed to do was listen in and follow the thoughts. It seemed like shooting fish in a barrel.

2:12 AM

Javeria was a seasoned operative who denied all knowledge of the virus. Of course, she was lying. They gave her ample time to confess what she knew. Suddenly, two guards entered and escorted her to a holding cell. They used some very unsavory techniques to coerce her to tell the truth. She still didn't crack. They resorted to Sodium Pentothal in hope that she would spill some information while under its influence. They still achieved no progress. She never divulged her contacts, nor her knowledge of the operation. I was beginning to regret that I had given them her name.

I immediately shot off an email to the Prime Minister, naming all of her contacts. After all, her mind was an open book to me at this point, and I knew everything they wanted to know. The Prime Minister was in direct contact with the interrogators by now, and I had them tell her what it was that she did not want to admit. I had them explain in detail every step that she took to deliver the virus, who she received it from, how she was hired, and scores of other juicy details that I had read from her thoughts. She was horrified as they disclosed all that I told them. She realized that somehow she had been compromised, and she agreed to cooperate.

I had such a wealth of information at this point that I needed to follow the trail to the biological engineers who created the virus. Word was leaking fast about Javeria's arrest. Agents were scrambling to cover their tracks, and I just hopped from one to another as I gained more information. The trail led to a very nervous agent within the Inter-Services Intelligence agency. Finally, I was about to learn how the virus came into being. I just needed to get him on the subject of the virus, and I would know everything that he did.

I began reading his thoughts, and at once I was horrified. I needed to contact him immediately, but I didn't have his direct email address yet, and even if I did, he wasn't accessing his email at this time. I jumped up and ran into the living area to awaken Eddie and tell him what I had done.

"Eddie! Hey, wake up! I have a serious problem here."

Eddie was startled to attention. "What's up?"

"I contacted the Prime Minister again and sort of blackmailed him into backing off of trying to find me, which did work, by the way."

"What?! You didn't tell me you were making contact again. You can't just go off willy nilly and start emailing powerful people without letting me know." Eddie was obviously very perturbed.

"Sorry, but I didn't think it was that big of a deal."

"OK, Adriel, now what mess have you gotten us into?"

"Well, I led them to the female operative who planted the virus. They brought her in for questioning, and they were getting nowhere, so I told the Prime Minister what she was hiding in detail. She realized that someone had ratted her out, and she broke."

"OK, so far, so good! So, what's the serious problem?"

"Well, I started thought-hopping my way through some of the intelligence agents that were her contacts and finally found the one who was responsible for receiving the vial with the virus from the biological engineers."

Eddie turned both of his palms upward. "More good news! Keep going."

"OK, so I was really excited to find this guy, and all I need is to contact him to get him thinking about who gave him the vial, because that would be the contact for the scientists who created it."

"All right. Sounds like you just need to get this agent's email address and wait for him to read it, just like we've been doing. I'm a little confused as to why you think there's trouble?"

"Well, I can read his thoughts right now, and he's sitting on his bed with a nine millimeter, semi-automatic pistol getting ready to blow his brains out. I don't know how to stop him, and I will lose the connection to the scientists that I desperately need."

"Oh no, Adriel! What time is it over there?"

"It's around noon."

"Well, the only thing I can think of is to alert the closest person you know to him, and have them go and try to stop him."

"I don't think there's time Eddie. He just made up his mind. Oh my God! I can read what is going through his mind. I've never known a suicidal person's last thoughts. This is horrible! Oh no! It's too late!"

4:15 AM

I was sitting on the couch in the living area in a trance-like state. Eddie brought me about four ounces of a good Kentucky bourbon. It smelled delicious, but I declined, because I knew that I would soon be back into the mix trying to find a contact that I was afraid no longer existed. I just needed some time to clear my head. I was dreading being able to read thoughts at this point. I never knew where it might lead, and I was finding out that there are times when it leads to very dark places.

It would be hours before the dead agent was discovered, so I told Eddie my plan. I decided to contact the Prime Minister again and notify him of the suicide and where to find the agent. I thought maybe if I could stir up enough exchange between people, I could catch another lead to the scientists who created the virus. I was wondering if I could somehow jump straight to one of them without having the link. There could be enough thought waves transmitted that I might snag one out of the air. I was grasping at straws here, because I had never done such a thing.

Suddenly, an idea struck me. If my trail was cold trying to link from Javeria back to the scientists, what if I tried the other direction? I would just email the Prime Minister in the interests of helping to trace the virus from its inception. Surely, he would have an idea of who might have been responsible. It was just after 1:00 PM in Pakistan, so I knew that I had some time. Who knows? Maybe the Prime Minister would give me a list of contacts to start my search. It was a stretch to think that a man I had just blackmailed hours earlier would help me in my quest. As I always say, "Nothing ventured; nothing gained."

I told Eddie my plan, and we were both at our usual stations. It took over half an hour to get a response from the Prime Minister. I tried to coerce him into a list of possible contacts that could be suspects for being responsible for the virus. He still thought that I was someone within his government who was possibly trying to usurp authority in Pakistan. I tried convincing him otherwise, but he couldn't get past the intimate information that I had. I tried dropping more information on him, but he continued to demand to know my identity. He truly did not think that I would contact the Prime Minister of India and spill what I knew. This guy didn't know who he was messing with. I gave him one last warning, and he scoffed.

I got out my list of contacts for India and started the same method of persuading people to respond to me in order to learn my next stepping stone. It took over three hours to finally connect with the Prime Minister of India. It was getting late in the workday there, and I was about to ruin his evening. I needed to get his attention immediately. I discovered that he had just learned yesterday from his physician that the test results done a week earlier indicated that the Prime Minister had prostate cancer. I decided to use that fact as my opening email subject. I got an immediate response.

Once again, I was being pressured to disclose my identity, because he hadn't even told his wife about the cancer. I assured him that I knew far more than that, and that I had some useful information that he would want to know about Pakistan. He was listening. I disclosed the coordinates of five of the nuclear sites that Pakistan had established near the Indian border. The Indian prime minister was dubious, so I had to leak more information about his own political secrets before he warmed up to me. Just like the Prime Minister of Pakistan thought that I was part of his government, the Indian prime minister now thought that I worked within the Indian government. I assured him that I did not, and that there was far more to tell, but before I disclosed anything else, we needed to get a three-way email communication between India, Pakistan and myself.

I fully expected what I read from the Indian leader's mind. He ordered his security advisor to assign the task of finding me, and eight technicians were feverishly at work within an hour. I wasn't shaking this time; I was amused. I glanced at Eddie, who gave me an assuring nod. I told the Indian prime minister what I knew about the men trying to find me and once again named them by name. He was now more suspicious than ever.

My next move was to get the Prime Minister of Pakistan involved, so I included him on the next email that I sent to India. I explained what I had disclosed to India in great detail, and Pakistan was outraged. I then threatened to tell India about the covert operation in the Lakshadweep islands if Pakistan did not cooperate. Within an hour, I had a list of possible Pakistani operatives who were candidates for passing the virus to Javeria. Naturally, Pakistan and India got into a heated debate over the information that I had shared. I was now being suspicioned as an Indian operative, because I had divulged information about Pakistan, but not India. I was tempted to even the score, but I rather wanted to contact the operatives to get a thought trail going to find the origin of the virus.

Both prime ministers were demanding to know my identity. I then told them that I was an angel of God. Eddie had been watching over my shoulder the whole time and exclaimed, "Adriel! What are you doing? Are you posing as one of the overseers?"

I explained, "Not exactly. Angel is the anglicized Greek word for messenger. I am, in fact, a messenger of God, am I not?"

"I'm not sure I'd go that far, Adriel, but whatever works."

I now had to prove to the prime ministers that I was who I said I was. I started reading their minds and disclosing everything in the group email. I couldn't help but laugh when I read their minds while they were reading my emails. It was hilarious. What's more, is that I finally had them convinced after a half hour of mind reading that I was truly an emissary of God. I needed to buy some time. I made them both promise not to do anything rash, and that I had some work to do. I then disclosed enough to make them very afraid of me. It's amazing how powerful having secret information can be.

8:45 AM

The next two hours were spent sending emails to the Pakistani operatives who could be Javeria's contact. It took time to track each one, read his or her thoughts, and craft an email that would spark interest. I was exhausted and needed some sleep, not to mention I was a bit hungry. Eddie said he could eat something as well, so I whipped up a cheese omelet and several strips of bacon before we decided to get some sleep.

Once I got to my room, I decided to give Evelyn a call at work. I gave her a cryptic overview of what had happened, which caused her to worry far more than I anticipated. I assured her that everything was all right, and she needn't worry. I was still upset over the fact that I wouldn't be home for Thanksgiving. I realized that I couldn't take the chance of emailing from my home, because if there were a breech in our security, it could be devastating. Evelyn and I ended our conversation, and I went right to sleep.

4:16 PM

I awoke with a start. I was sweating and breathing hard. What had I been dreaming? Something had upset me. I grabbed my water bottle and guzzled the rest of its contents. I was distressed, but what was it? I lay on my back in bed trying to remember what I had been dreaming. It was something about the sky, or the stars, or the moon; I wasn't sure. It wasn't on this earth. My heart was pounding. This made no sense. A word was forming in my head. It was 'astro' something. Astro, astro, I almost had it. It seemed that the more I thought, the harder it was, so I diverted my thoughts to my emotion and how the dream made me feel. I was scared, disappointed, discouraged, what else? As I focused on my emotion, the word popped into the front of my thought. ASTROSAT.

What the hell was ASTROSAT? I grabbed my phone from the night stand and started a search for ASTROSAT. Well, it sort of made sense. ASTROSAT was the first multi-wavelength space observatory launched by India in September, 2015. Why was I dreaming about an Indian satellite? This was too strange. I wondered if the overseers were invading my dreams, but what was so important about a space observatory? It didn't make sense.

I wandered downstairs to start a large pot of steaming, rich, bold, Colombian coffee. Oh how I needed some. I made it extra strong today, because I really needed the kick. I looked around and realized that the cleaning crew had been here while I was sleeping. I loaded my cup with coffee, heavy cream, and stevia. The aroma was enough to start waking me up. I sipped it as I walked out to the pool area. I thought for a moment that a dog had found it's way to one of the deck chairs, but then I realized it was Eddie's dark, bushy, curly hair that I saw from behind. He must have fallen asleep in the chair by the pool. I walked over and sat in the chair next to him.

I lost my balance a bit and plopped into the deck chair, making more noise than I intended. Eddie started waking up. I brushed the spilled coffee from my shirt and waited until he was conscious enough for a conversation. He was still a bit dazed, but he listened as I told him about my dream. He blinked his eyes a couple of times, and I could see that he was in thought.

"Well, Adriel, this all sounds very simple."

"It does?"

"Sure! It appears that you have been given some direction for the first time since you started your mission."

"How is ASTROSAT any kind of direction, Eddie? OK, OK, I can read your mind."

"Geez, Adriel! Would you please stop that? I mean, I know that you can read my mind, but can't we just have a normal conversation? Ask me questions, and I'll answer them like any other normal conversation between two normal people. OK?"

"But we're not normal, Eddie." I could see that Eddie was really disgusted at this point. "All right. I'll stop saying that I can read your thoughts. So, Eddie, please, oh please, tell me how this dream is any kind of direction."

"My god, Adriel! Sometimes you really piss me off. You have this dream and you seem so oblivious of its pertinence. Email the Indian prime minister and read his thoughts, and you'll know what you need to know."

"Golly, gee whiz, Eddie! I never thought of that."

Eddie jumped up and went inside. I was still amusing myself and sat by the pool. It was overcast but warm enough that I didn't need a sweatshirt. I settled into the deck chair and sipped the last of my coffee. Eddie was right. This is the first time that I received any kind of guidance since we had started this venture. It was somewhat encouraging and disconcerting at the same time. I was glad that I finally had some specific communication about my task, but also wondered if I had been doing the right thing. I guess I would know more this evening when I emailed India.

I could read Eddie's thoughts. He was looking forward to getting away from me for the holiday. That somewhat hurt my feelings, but I knew that he needed a break from me. I don't have a problem being alone, but I would certainly miss my family for the holiday. I needed to think about something else, because I was getting depressed again. So, what do I usually do for a diversion? I cook.

I was in a bread baking mood. I figured that I would make a hearty minestrone soup, some Italian bread and a large salad for our dinner. I set the oven to 400 degrees and got a second cup of coffee before I started on the bread. While enjoying my coffee, I put three cups of warm tap water into a large bowl and whisked in about a teaspoon of honey and a package of yeast. As the yeast activated, I retrieved the chicken stock from the refrigerator to pour into a large saucepan and reduce it on the stove to about half the volume. This would make a great base for the minestrone. The yeast was activating, so it was time to whisk in a tablespoon of salt and start adding bread flour until the mixture was almost too thick for the whisk. The rest of the flour was mixed in with my hands until it stopped sticking to my fingers. Then, I kneaded the dough on the counter top until it was smooth and elastic and put it into a bowl covered with plastic wrap to let it rise.

The oven was now up to temperature, and I put three Italian sausages in a baking dish and shoved it into the oven to bake for twenty-five minutes. Next, sweet onion, some celery and assorted peppers were finely chopped and sautéed until the onion was soft and clear. Three large cloves of minced garlic were added to the sautéed vegetables, and the heat was turned off. Once the broth had reduced, the vegetables, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, saffron, French thyme, a can of diced tomato, and a can of kidney beans were added to the broth. I took the sausages from the oven and let them cool.

The bread was ready to be kneaded and loafed. After kneading it, I rolled out the dough like a pizza and tightly rolled it up to form a nice loaf, pinching the ends shut. The loaf was placed onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and I made seven angled slits across the top. Beaten egg white was brushed onto the loaf after rising for about twenty minutes, and sesame seed was then sprinkled on top.  This went into the 400 degree oven for twenty minutes. The sausages were cool enough to slice and dice and add to the soup mixture. I reduced the oven temperature by 25 degrees every twenty minutes for an hour and removed the bread from the oven.

I just needed a salad, and we would be ready to eat. I chopped tomato, green pepper, cucumber, tore some Romaine into pieces, cubed some feta cheese, sliced red onion, radishes and carrots, sprinkled on some oregano, kalamata olives and started the dressing. There was plenty of flavor in the salad, so I mixed extra virgin olive oil with red wine vinegar, added salt, pepper and a little stevia to cut the tartness of the vinegar. I doused the salad and tossed it like a madman. Dinner was served, and Eddie was upstairs napping. Too bad for him, because it was excellent.

11:35 PM

Eddie had finally come downstairs and had some dinner. I was already composing an email to the Prime Minister of India to ask about ASTROSAT. I couldn't imagine what a satellite observatory had to do with the issue of nuclear war, but I intended to find out. I had Eddie proofread the email to see if he had any suggestions of what I might add or change. He wanted me to change my verbiage from asking about the satellite to making the Prime Minister think that I already knew. That way I could just read his mind to find out what I needed to know. It made good sense. Pakistan and India already thought that I was an angel of God, and asking questions would only lead to suspicion if I appeared not to have the knowledge. Instead, I would tell him that I knew what he was going to do with it. Is that a white lie? I never understood the coloring of lies. They all seemed like deception to me.

Once we agreed on the final email, I sent it off and waited for a response. The subject line read, "I know about ASTROSAT." I told him that I knew what he planned to do with it. It took about an hour and a half before he read the email. It was exhausting, because I had to stay with his thoughts until he read it. He didn't respond, but I learned what ASTROSAT was really about, and it wasn't just a satellite observatory. I was learning a lot about the condition of the world and how much in the dark the majority of the populace is.
Tuesday, November 20, 1:04 AM

Eddie could tell by my demeanor that I was wondering what to do with the information. "OK, Adriel. Let's hear it. I can't read your mind."

I gave a long exhale and settled back in my chair. "ASTROSAT is a lot more than a multi-wavelength observatory. It's an implement of disarmament, which India is planning to use on the Paksitani nuclear installation coordinates that I gave them."

"What kind of disarmament? This sounds like trouble."

"I'm sure it is trouble to some degree. This is going to get complicated, and I'm going to get blamed by Pakistan for this act of aggression, because I disclosed the coordinates."

"So tell me, what does ASTROSAT do?"

"It generates a concentrated electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, as it's known. It can target approximately one square mile at a time. This EMP knocks out all wave transmissions."

"I thought that EMP's weren't able to be generated long distances unless they were nuclear generated."

"I don't know that much about them, but ASTROSAT uses a channel from the sun to funnel the energy to its targets. What I have been learning is that there are no limits on science. The only true limit is the one that we impose on ourselves. All things are possible, and once scientists begin to realize that, the more advancement we will see. There are an infinite number of possibilities.

"So, the EMP is capable of knocking out all electricity and communication."

"Precisely, this will disable the five sites that I disclosed to the Indian prime minister."

"But it can only operate on one site at a time, right?"

"That's true, but it can zap one at a time within a second or less. Imagine what would happen if every time you booted your computer, someone pulled the battery for a split second. Your computer would lose power and have to be rebooted. If that happened to you every few seconds, you wouldn't be able to operate. They have been sitting on this for years. They can destroy major power grids at will in seconds, disarming their enemies and throwing them into utter chaos."

"OK, let me get this straight. Pakistan has a virus that destroys good judgment, and India has an EMP generator that incapacitates the enemy. Neither of these weapons are considered to create mass destruction."

"That's right! It's the new wave of terrorism, benign viruses and incapacitation." I was in a daze. I had no idea where this was all going, but it was starting to look like the runaway freight train that I dreaded from the beginning.

"Can you stop India from using the EMP on Pakistan?"

"No, I can't, and I can see that they are already using it. It's beginning to create chaos. Eddie, I don't know what to do."

"Well, don't just sit there and give up. You're in the game now, so buckle up and get to work. You received this information for a reason. You need to find out what to do with it."

"I'm at a loss, Eddie. India is already threatening to disable Islamabad."

"This sounds like the poor judgment caused by the virus."

"Well, it's playing right into Pakistan's hands, except they didn't account for India having such a weapon as the EMP."

"Can you tell what Pakistan's next move is?"

"They're planning on taking out the ASTROSAT satellite to remove the EMP, but they can't locate it. Even if they did, there are two other sister satellites that are being deployed as well."

"What does India want from Pakistan? What will make them back off?"

"Well, Eddie, at this point it appears that nothing will deter them. They think that they have the upper hand."

"It kind of sounds like they do. I wonder if our government has anything like that."

"I don't know, but I have the feeling that I'm going to find out more than I ever wanted to know about the world situation. Oh my God! India just knocked out the government agencies in Islamabad. There's no way for me to communicate with Pakistan! What have I started, Eddie? This is the opposite of what I'm supposed to do. Islamabad is disabled. Automobiles aren't working, and all communication and electricity has ceased."

"Can't you say something to India to get them to stop? What are they thinking right now?"

"Well, they have played their hand at this point. Unless someone can stop them, they appear to have the power to control the world, except that they don't have the capacity to affect all nations at the same time."

"Does anyone else know about this?"

"Let me start with the President of the United States, and see what I can find. It's about 2:00 AM, and I would think that she should be sleeping. Nope. She is up and in her bathrobe. She has been notified. The Secretary of State has been summoned as well. They are going to agree on a strategy before contacting India."

"Adriel, can you tell if the U. S. has any similar weapons?"

"It appears that we have satellite weapons, but they are more of a laser type of device that can pinpoint a single person. So far, that's all I can tell. I'll keep thought hopping my way through the government officials who have been notified and see what I can find. Oh how I hate to read people's thoughts who have been awakened in the middle of the night to go to work. Let's give the officials some time to meet and see what they decide, Eddie. I'm sure they'll be in contact with India. I just don't know what the tactic will be at this point."

"You know, Adriel, this reminds me of the bully in the schoolyard who has a choke hold on one of his classmates, while the principal demands that he let him go. India is going to have to answer to someone."

"So it seems, Eddie, but Pakistan just got slapped hard!"

I spent the next several hours hopping around the thought world like a tenderfoot on hot coals. My perception was at the speed of light, and I couldn't keep Eddie informed, because there was just too much to concentrate on and relate at the same time. I was getting exhausted, but I had hope that the world via the United Nations would eventually get this cleared up. I was thinking how wonderful it would be if this were all the further that it went, and that my work here might be done.

I still couldn't help but think that the virus was at the root of all of this trouble. How would anyone talk sense with India if they were all infected? I had gotten sidetracked and decided to turn my sights on the list of operatives that I had received from Pakistan. I also needed to alert the President of the U. S. as to what I knew about the virus. Eddie agreed that contacting the President was the first priority. I was a little nervous to deal with officials on my own turf, but I had little choice.

It wasn't as difficult to jump into the conversation as I originally thought. There was so much activity at this point that getting an email into the mix was fairly easy. I was in contact with the Secretary of State and disclosed the Pakistani virus and how it was distributed. It took some of the same techniques that I had been using on Pakistan and India to convince the Secretary that I knew what I was talking about. I also told him that I had a plan to find the engineers that created the virus and hoped to get some cooperation from our government to find a cure. He took the information and said that he would be in touch. If he only knew how much in touch he already was.

3:00 AM

The Secretary was in conference with the President, and she wanted to know who his contact was that told him about the virus. He explained that he didn't know, but he did relate some of the things that I had told him to gain his confidence. The President was nervous about not knowing who had this potentially valuable information. Once again, I was the object of an email trace. I must say I was becoming a little too complacent about these searches, but so far no one had been able to get past the first roundhouse. I was beginning to think that Eddie's design was overkill.

I could tell that Eddie was getting nervous about leaving me alone for the holiday in light of this new political development. He was also hoping that this would clear up rather quickly. However, I knew that the virus was going to rise to the top of the list of concerns once they fully understood the impact.  I had no way of knowing who had been infected at this point, except for the Indian people who had apparent signs.

4:00 AM

I started checking the thoughts of the operatives that I had on my list to see if I could trace the virus. Everyone was engrossed in the blackout situation, and I couldn't email anyone to jog any thoughts. I couldn't believe that India's EMP device could bring me down as well, but I relied on email for communication. I had migrated from a sense of control and security to a feeling of helplessness and fear. A few days ago, I was fighting a dizzying sense of power due to my success in manipulating a world leader, and now I had a sick, sinking feeling that everything had spun out of control. It's amazing how I let my circumstances dictate my peace of mind. I was acting just like a typical descendant, but I knew that I wasn't typical. How many stories had I heard about the dichotomy of circumstantial outcomes? A man goes off to war and survives harrowing battles where all of his comrades are killed or maimed. Against all odds, he returns home as a hero with miraculous stories, and then he loses his life taking out the trash, slipping on a banana peel and breaking his neck. I decided that circumstances were not only temporary, but they often proved to be of no real substance. I chose to realize that I was exactly where I was supposed to be, doing exactly what I was supposed to do. I kept my eyes and ears open for any signs of direction.

I asked Eddie if he wanted something to eat. I thought this would be the diversion that I needed while the world tried to solve the immediate problem. So far, no one seemed to know about the virus or where it originated. I realized that it would be my responsibility once I was operational with Pakistani email again. I set my thoughts on breakfast. I decided on a raspberry, chocolate crepe with a side of bacon, but first I needed some coffee.

Fueled by caffeine, I started six strips of bacon frying in a pan. Next, I grabbed two eggs and beat them with a little cream, vanilla, stevia and flour into a cake batter consistency. Cream cheese was then heated in the microwave with some vanilla, raspberry extract and stevia. The eggs would cook in just a minute or two, so I washed some fresh raspberries and grabbed the chocolate morsels sweetened with stevia that were left over from the dessert that I had prepared for Angela. We soon had crepes filled with cream cheese, raspberries, and chocolate, with bacon on the side for our breakfast.

By now, the President had contacted the Prime Minister in India. If reason had feelings, I'm sure it would be heartbroken over the abandonment that it felt from India. At least the President was aware of the possibility of the virus, but she wanted proof. There was no way to give her proof until we found the engineers of the virus and got a sample. Testing the blood of infected people wouldn't help until the antibodies could be identified, so I needed to concentrate on how to find the virus.

I waited until Evelyn was awake and gave her a quick call. She was getting ready for work and watching the daily weather on television. A special news bulletin concerning South Asia had interrupted the weather report. She wanted to know if I had any involvement. I reminded her of the risk of discussing anything over the phone and asked to change the subject. I learned that she was taking the rest of the week off of work to prepare for the holiday. I usually did most of the cooking for Thanksgiving, and now it was all on her shoulders. She needed a couple of days to prepare. The children were flying in on Wednesday, so she had to schedule her shuttle trips to the airport as well. She was anxious to see the kids, and I was getting more depressed as we talked. I wasn't sure what the next few days would bring, but I knew that my involvement would be essential in some fashion. We ended our call, and I hadn't really divulged any information about my situation.

8:00 AM

The majority of the world leaders were now involved, and the whole world was buzzing with conversation, planning, negotiations and criticism. I tried to keep up with most of them, but I wasn't getting anything that I considered to be of great value. I really needed India to raise the EMP blackout so that I could make some contacts, but India was now afraid that if they backed off, then Pakistan would quickly retaliate. The United Nations was planning an emergency meeting to find a peaceful solution. I really couldn't be transparent and explain to our president the capabilities that I had. If she found out that I could read minds, it could create a new chaos, and I couldn't afford that right now.

I had settled in on the thoughts of the Pakistani prime minister to see what course they were planning. Obviously madder than a wet hen, he was meeting with his security advisors to discuss possible direction. I was alarmed to learn that one of the directives was to put out an offer on the Internet for a bounty to bring me in alive. The price on my head was $50 million. When that kind of money is offered to deliver you up, your scope of friends reduces greatly. I was relieved to know that Eddie didn't care about money, and no amount would tempt him to betray me. I just needed to make sure that no one knew who I was and what I was doing. The thought of Angela and her sister next door was beginning to worry me again.

I now had India, Pakistan, and the United States in hot pursuit of my email trail, and I was beginning to sweat again. Eddie was monitoring his roundhouses for activity. I homed in on some of the technical analysts, and they were trying to decipher the encryption and compression routines that Eddie used to secure the email package. It all hinged on a key code that Eddie created and involved some sort of truncation to prevent reverse engineering of the encryption. I didn't really follow all of his explanations, but that wasn't my end of the responsibility. I was just glad that he knew what he was doing.

I realized that I had an email from the U. S. Secretary sitting in my inbox. He was asking for an audio conference with me. I replied that audio would be impossible, and that only email transmission was the acceptable means of communication. They were trying to establish other ways to trace me. The bounty to bring me to Pakistan alive had been posted, and our government had ramped up the search for my whereabouts. They didn't want me falling into the hands of foreign powers. If they only knew my capabilities, they would be a lot more nervous than they already were. I was still trying to determine if my work was now finished. I would be so relieved if we could pull the plug on this operation, remove the roundhouses, retrieve our equipment, and get back home. I was looking for a sign, but I knew that regardless of the outcome of the immediate situation, the virus was going to have to be located and a cure found, or the world situation would only degrade over time until there were no level heads left to prevent nuclear war.

It seemed that old fashioned terrorism had given way to a more subtle means of controlling the world by disabling the enemy via virus warfare or EMP destruction of communication and mobility. The subtle approach to overcoming your enemy by infiltration without prior detection was appearing to be very promising. I wondered what other means lurked out there in the world that followed this same scenario. Rather than destroying your enemy and rebuilding what remained, it was far more economical and efficient to disable your enemy and waltz right in and take over. I had an inkling that I was only seeing the tip of a huge iceberg. I wasn't mistaken.

Things had stabilized to a degree, and talks were ensuing to establish peace in South Asia and stop any retaliatory strikes from Pakistan. India warned that any aggression from Pakistan or its allies would result in a fully nuclear conflict. I knew it was the virus talking. The world had experienced a rude awakening to this day. Cards were being played in this political game now that trump had been established in India's favor. Having a good hand is only part of winning. You have to know how to play it, and judgment wasn't the strong suit for India right now. I was anxious to get back on the trail to find the virus engineers. I wondered if they had any clue that they were the lynchpin in the investigation to this whole mess right now.

I really wanted to take a nap, but I was concerned that things were a bit too volatile right now, and I needed to keep abreast of what was going on. Eddie, on the other hand, was lightly snoring on the couch. I think he could fall asleep at gunpoint, and I'd be willing to bet good money on it. He wasn't a fearful man, but he didn't throw caution to the wind either. There was nothing more that he could do right now, and he knew that I was monitoring the situation in a manner that no one else in this world could. His flight home was scheduled for 8:14 tomorrow morning, and he was taking a taxi to the airport. He didn't want me to be occupied if I needed to act in an instant. I wasn't sure how much sleep we would get tonight, but I knew that he would sleep on the plane ride home.

I envied him returning home, but I certainly didn't envy the plane ride. I had done enough flying in my life. There seemed to be two unpleasant things that gravitated toward me. One was very close lightning strikes for as long as I can remember. Whether I was walking to grade school or just lying in bed, lightning had a way of flirting with me, and I didn't like it. It always had the same burning smell to it. The other unpleasant experience was flight mishaps. I had been struck by lightning three times in an airplane. Go figure. I also had a flight nose downward on takeoff right over the Detroit river, and I can't swim. Like that would matter, but that was the stupid thought that went through my mind at the time. I have had planes fall for an unknown number of feet during storms, have suffered engine failure, and watched a near miss with a commuter jet flying so close beneath me ten miles before touchdown that I could have waved to the passengers. I retired my wings many years ago, not that I find driving to be comfortable. At least if my engine goes out in a car, I can coast to the side of the road. Oh, and did I mention the unpredictable motion of bouncing all over the place in the air? I can't stand the nonrhythmic motion of an airplane. I'm fine on the open sea with the rhythm of the waves, but not bouncing around in midair like a bat darting for mosquitoes at night. No thank you. I used this consolation of not flying as my comforting thought of not returning home for the holiday. It seemed to work fairly well at the time.

10:50 AM

Eddie had awakened and was sitting on the couch rubbing his eyes. He had been thinking about the prescendants and whether or not I remembered having contact with any of the world leaders prior to my descent. He was hoping that I might have inside information about them that would help me in my ability to influence any of them. Unfortunately, people who chose that sphere of existence on this earth were in very different circles than those in which Eddie and I had chosen to frequent. That brought an interesting question to my mind. Why were we chosen to circumvent this potential disaster on the earth? We were just two obscure citizens living in the Midwestern United States with absolutely no political connections to world events. It seemed more likely that someone who lived and functioned in the arena of global politics would be a better candidate, having the influence and knowledge of transglobal negotiations. However, as I thought it through I realized that anyone with my capabilities would definitely want to remain obscure. Otherwise, the ominous aspects of having a country with an asset who could read minds would be terribly intimidating and would most definitely be put to misuse.

I just didn't relish the fact that prior to this mission I never wondered if I were going to be assassinated or imprisoned in the near future, but now I questioned on a daily basis if I would ever see my family again. I used to take life one day at a time in grateful enjoyment. These past few days, I was living life one hour at a time in uncertainty and doubt. The larger, more important battle lay within my own thoughts and choices, not out there in the world where I couldn't control any of it. If I didn't trust in the Creator who chose this path for me, then I wasn't the right person for the job, but as many times as I had encouraged others to trust him, now was my opportunity to show by example just how essential that trust is. I then began to realize that my mission was multifaceted.

Eddie asked me to focus on the three principal governments in this political standoff. Pakistan was outraged. India was defensive, and the U. S. was adamant for a solution. Talks in New Delhi had been scheduled for Friday, and the Secretary of State of the U. S. wasn't happy that he would be traveling during the holiday. The President had instructed the Secretary that if India was unwilling to lift the EMP on Pakistan, the U. S. would be inclined to deny passage to and from India for anyone until they complied. I hoped that this tactic would work, but then I realized that if the Secretary traveled to India, there was the likely possibility that he would be infected by the virus.

I was concerned about how widespread the virus had become. Most of the tourism to Lakshadweep from non-eastern countries traveled through Bangaram where alcohol consumption was prevalent. The obscure islands were visited by those from Asia in the interest of avoiding the more commercialized areas. They preferred the serene atmosphere and remote areas where alcohol was not allowed. As a result, the virus had been concentrated more in the upper echelon of the Indian culture. This would put the Secretary in likely danger of contracting the virus. I really needed to emphasize to our government the necessity to avoid contracting the virus, but without having the vaccine, which existed in Pakistan somewhere unknown, the only deterrent that I knew was to maintain a blood alcohol concentration of at least .02. How was I going to convince the Secretary to retain a level of inebriation during his entire encounter in India? I was at a loss.

1:15 PM

I sent an email to the Secretary to explain the potential danger of visiting India at this time due to the threat of the virus. The email was retrieved by one of his aides, and the message was delivered to him as he was speaking with the President in the oval office. I was alarmed to learn from reading his thoughts after receiving my message that he was a recovering alcoholic, making him a prime target for the virus. My admonition was met with disbelief from both the Secretary and the President, thinking that such a notion was absurd and in poor taste as a joke. I immediately sent another email disclosing their thoughts and doubts and assured them that they were wrong. This raised a considerable concern since the only knowledge of their conversation happened behind closed doors, and no one had left the room since the aide who had delivered the message. An immediate search of the room for listening devices was performed by the secret service, and I had to wait until everyone would settle down and give me an ear.

At this point, they were thinking that I was right under their noses, and in a sense I was, just not physically. I went to great lengths once again to describe the virus, how it disables the ability to reason and to make good choices, and why alcohol is the substance that disarms the virus temporarily. Communicating through email was cumbersome, and I was glad that I was fluent with a keyboard. I had finally convinced them that another ambassador would be more fitting to visit India and that a level of non-sobriety was essential. All of this was kept in the strictest confidence, and the choice for a fitting emissary was underway. The U. S. Ambassador to India was a staunch non-drinker, so the search continued. Finally, the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs was chosen to make the trip. He was presented with a departing presidential gift, a silver-plated flask of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey with instructions of regular dosage amounts and times based on his body mass index. Whoever said that truth is stranger than fiction certainly had a good deal of life experiences.

The stalemate perpetuated between India and Pakistan, and tensions were mounting as people were dying from the lack of power, mostly due to hospital backup generator failures. Damages were increasing, and restoring any sensible relationships seemed to be an impossibility at this point. I couldn't help but feel responsible for all of this, and I regretted disclosing any information to India. Hindsight was always 20/20, but I felt that I should have known better. I wasn't the only one blaming myself for this debacle, but all who knew of my involvement within the three governments were blaming me as well, and the search to find me had escalated to the number one priority right behind the India-Pakistan crisis.

I was exhausted emotionally, mentally, and physically. I needed some rest. I had no appetite, and I realized that there would be no convenient time for sleep or food. I decided to go upstairs and get some rest before the negotiations began in India. I gave Evelyn a call and kept the conversation as pleasant and focused on her as much as I could. After the call, I collapsed on the bed and slept for several hours.

10:25 PM

I awoke to Eddie's knocking. I jumped up and opened the door. He was concerned about me and asked if I was all right. I assured him that I was. He was planning to get some sleep before his flight home tomorrow morning and reminded me that I needed to be in communication with India and the U. S. during the holiday to lessen the suspicion that I was located in the states. I agreed and decided to shower before going downstairs to start my communications. I was still trying to get used to having my days and nights upside down, and I didn't function nearly as well in the evening hours.

Once I got downstairs, I made a strong pot of coffee and tried to decide what to eat. I still wasn't hungry, but I knew that I needed to eat something so that the coffee didn't aggravate my stomach. I decided on three hard boiled eggs mashed with butter and five strips of bacon. During breakfast, I started my rounds to check on the situation and found that India had stopped the EMP on Islamabad with a warning against retaliation. So far, everyone was agreeing to wait for the peace talk, and the venue had been changed to Geneva. This meant that the prime ministers of India and Pakistan and the Under Secretary from the U. S. were going to sit down at the table together. The vaccine in Pakistan had been mandated for all citizens two years prior under the guise of another virus prevention, so there was no danger to the Prime Minister of Pakistan. I wasn't sure how the U. S. was going to pull off the bourbon dosages, but I was sure to find out.

Everyone was on needles and pins over this ordeal, and many were wondering what other weapons and devices were out there that could cause similar problems. The U. S. had become rather sure of its intelligence concerning global armaments, but no one was looking for the more benign weapons that were now appearing to be in vogue. The world game was in a transition, and the forerunners of the old game were awakening to a new assessment of their standings. As intriguing as all of this was, I preferred to be home with my family while I finished the preparation for Thanksgiving and enjoyed a fine bottle of wine. There was no point in torturing myself. I poured my fourth cup of coffee and headed out to the pool where the sounds of the night were just coming alive.

Finally, I could resume my pursuit of the possible operatives who could connect me to the engineers that created the virus. I had two goals at this point. I needed to find the origin of the virus and learn what I could to pass on to American scientists, and I needed to find who instigated the creation of the virus and the infestation into India. If the top officials in Pakistan did not know about the virus, then who perpetrated this scheme? What was the plan behind the virus and the timing for that plan? I obviously had caused a premature awareness that launched an unforeseen chain of events. So, what would they do now that the virus had been exposed?
Wednesday, November 21 12:15 AM

I needed to make some cursory emails to Pakistan, India, and the U. S. officials to possibly throw them off as to my whereabouts. Although I could be some lone wolf without a family, at least they wouldn't necessarily suspicion that I was in the U. S. I disclosed my knowledge about the talks in Geneva, which was supposed to be kept a secret. I just wanted them to know that they couldn't hide anything from me. I never really knew just how much information I was supposed to divulge, but I felt that I leaned toward the side of danger most of the time. I was trying to reevaluate my tactics, but I always thought that if a little does good, then a lot does great. I realize that's not the best motto, but it's mine, and I own it.

It was time to start with my list of operatives that I had received from the Pakistani officials to see if I could locate the origin of the virus. It was a long list. I started at the top and began sending emails to each one until I received a response. I was nearly half way through the roster when I received an email from one of the agents who was curious about my identity. I had mentioned the virus in my emails, so I was fairly confident that if I received a response, it would be from someone with knowledge. I focused on his thoughts, and sure enough, he was aware of the virus. However, he wasn't involved in any of the operations. He just knew from a friend that it existed, and he was curious why I contacted him. Of course, he wasn't disclosing any information to me that he knew of, but I could readily read his thoughts and the very things that he didn't want me to know. I had two more names that I extracted from his thoughts, so I never responded to him.

I checked the names against the list that I had, and neither person was noted. These contacts may not be intelligence agents, but they were now the best leads that I had. Following the trail was like finding a loose thread in a sweater. You pull the thread and see if the sweater starts to unravel. In the case of the two contacts that I had just learned about, one provided a thread that was now unraveling slowly. I decided to contact only one of them so that they could not compare notes. I still couldn't get used to how easy it was to provoke thoughts in someone about the very things that they don't want you to know. It was like telling people not to think about green. Guess what they can't get out of their minds.

I started name dropping to see who he knew. Although he refused to answer, he knew no one on my list of operatives, nor did he know Javeria. He did, however, know someone named Hasan who had involvement with the virus distribution. I was getting closer and more eager to reach my target. I then asked him for the email address of Hasan. He didn't respond, but I now had Hasan's email address. My inquiry had him worried, and he left his apartment to go warn Hasan that someone was trying to contact him. Rather than contact Hasan, I thought that it would be more advantageous to let them both generate thoughts in a discussion, because I would get far more candid information.

I had received two more responses from the original emails that I sent out. I sent an email to the other person that I had gotten from the first responder to my initial emails. I wanted to see if there were any intersections of acquaintances. I didn't receive a response from him before I had to turn my attention to the conversation that had just begun between Hasan and his worried friend. The conversation was intriguing, and the more that I learned, the more I pitied these intelligence operatives who feared for their lives and the lives of their families on a daily basis.

Hasan was a private contractor who was lured into the intelligence game by the promise of a lucrative future. He had answered an advertisement in an online newspaper to work as an agent on a contract basis for a handsome fee. He was contacted by a middle man who directly possessed the government contracts and in turn subcontracted agents to perform the operations outlined by the government agencies. Hasan had hopes of bettering his lifestyle for his wife and children and readily signed an online contract with the middle man. However, once engaged in the process, he learned that it had been a grave mistake to succumb to his own greed by pursuing this opportunity. His first assignment went well, and he was pleasingly paid in full for his assignment, but he was disappointed in the compensation offered for his next assignment and refused the work. That is when he learned that he was obligated to perform his duties, and that the middle man could choose the amount of payment. He also learned that he was being watched constantly by other agents to be sure that he performed his assignments acceptably. He was warned that failure to comply or to perform unsatisfactorily would endanger not only his life, but the lives of those within his family. Hasan's missions grew increasingly dangerous and risky, but his pay didn't compensate for that fact.

These agents were controlled through fear. Hasan knew that he had been assigned to watch others and report via courier what he observed. He also suspicioned that he wasn't the only one watching them on these occasions, and that multiple reports from different agents were most likely being compared. He had never been called on to assassinate anyone, but he didn't doubt that such a group of agents existed. This design provided the middle man with cheap labor from very compliant workers.

Hasan was never allowed to know anyone involved in any of the assignments. He received and delivered information from other agents whom he never knew. He followed instructions but never learned the names of anyone whom he contacted. This protected everyone involved, because if he were ever caught and interrogated, he couldn't disclose the identity of anyone in his line of contact. It was a sad situation indeed. My only contact for the virus other than Javeria was Hasan, and he didn't know who had given him the package that contained the virus. I found this interesting, because Javeria did know the agent who delivered the virus to her. However, that man had committed suicide.

At this point, I was wondering how many agents were used to relay the virus to Javeria. I wouldn't imagine that it was very many, but I still couldn't connect the dots. The middle man would definitely know all of his agents and the entire line that the virus followed to Javeria. How could I find the middle man, and how many of these middle men were there? The only thing that I had learned from this, which seemed to be somewhat useful, was that the middle man most likely had a contact with one of the Pakistani government agencies, but I wasn't even positively sure of that. I was back to scratching my head and wishing that Eddie were awake so that I could bounce all of this off of him, but I didn't want to disturb his sleep. I followed up on the other email responses that I had received, but after a couple more hours of investigation, I realized that the trail was now cold, and I was going to have to find another path to follow.

4:53 AM

It wouldn't be very long before Eddie was awake. He had arranged for a taxi to arrive at 6:30 this morning. I figured I had better get some breakfast started so that he wouldn't leave with an empty stomach. Something hearty was in order, and I had just the thing. I placed two twelve-inch, corn tortillas on a baking tray and put them in the oven at 350 degrees. Onions and assorted peppers were then sautéed in coconut oil, and chili powder, cumin, Garam Masala, salt, and pepper were added. I then heated some refried beans in the microwave and introduced hot sauce, cumin, and pepper. The tortillas were removed from the oven, spread with the refried beans, and topped with the onion and peppers before going back into the oven. While the tortilla toppings were heating, I fried four eggs, sunny side up and slid two each onto the tortillas in the oven. Grated pepper jack cheese was set aside for topping, and I set my sights on making salsa. I chopped onion, garlic, green pepper, tomato, cilantro, and mixed in cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, tomato paste, a little stevia, and lemon peel. I topped the tortillas with the cheese and let it melt. The plates were garnished with diced avocado, cilantro sprigs, and salsa. The tortillas were placed on the plates, and breakfast was ready.

I could hear Eddie milling about upstairs, so I started a pot of coffee for me. He was downstairs in minutes, and we were enjoying breakfast by the pool on a beautiful balmy morning. The sun hadn't risen yet, so we were dining in the dim light of the deck lamps. Eddie appreciated the huevos rancheros and made more than one comment of how he liked it. I took the opportunity to tell him what had transpired while he was sleeping, and how frustrated I was that I hadn't made much progress in locating the virus origination. He said that he had been thinking of the events over the past couple of days.

"You know, Adriel, I got to thinking about your dream that led you to ASTROSAT. That dream has been the only semblance of any direction that you have gotten concerning your mission. You didn't have that dream until after you had disclosed the locations of the nuclear sites that Pakistan had near the Indian border. You had already set in motion the events that have festered into a global crisis before you had the dream."

"That's true. So, what were you thinking?" As if I didn't know.

"Well, the dream appears to be some sort of confirmation, because it provided information about an imminent event of which you were unaware. My question is whether the confirmation is of a positive nature or just the opposite. It might be confirmation that you made a wrong turn by disclosing the nuclear site locations."

"I was thinking along the same lines, Eddie. However, why was I getting confirmation afterward? I'm not getting any real direction, and receiving a confirmation that I screwed up just doesn't sound fair. I'm doing the best that I can. Why am I not being guided to do the right thing?"

"That's a good question. What's done is done, but I wonder if this isn't some sort of warning about what you might disclose in the future. I mean, after all, you can read thoughts, but it appears that if someone isn't currently thinking of something, you don't know what else lurks in their brains until they bring it to the front of their minds. For example, you didn't know about the owners of this house owning another house less than half a mile from here, but you did know about their other houses around the country. You also didn't know that India had an EMP generator that they planned to use."

"That's very true. I certainly don't know everything. I guess I need to be more cautious and realize that fact before I start another global conflict."

"I think so. Believe me, I really want to go home and have Thanksgiving with my family, but I'm very nervous about leaving you on your own. You are somewhat of a loose cannon at times, and I'm concerned about what situation I might return to on Saturday."

"I know. I wish I could be more reassuring, but I have to make decisions on the spur of the moment sometimes, and I don't always know what to do."

"Do you really need to decide that fast, Adriel? Maybe you're creating an unnecessary sense of urgency. I suggest you take a couple of steps back, assess the situation, and think it through before you respond. I know you're impulsive, but you need to temper that a bit. Mistakes on a global scale can be hard to correct, if not impossible."

"That's good advice, but you're not making me feel any better about what I've started."

"This isn't about how you feel, Adriel. It's about being successful in preventing a global disaster. Just think twice before you divulge too much information. OK?"

"Sure! I'll do my best."

I finished about half of my breakfast before I lost my appetite. Eddie was right, I needed to be more cautious. He didn't have time to discuss the events that occurred during the night. His only response was to check if there was a procurement division for the Pakistani intelligence agencies that might be aware of agent contracts. He needed to get ready to go to the airport, and I needed to make a plan. I wanted to send more emails today and tomorrow to show that I wasn't preoccupied with the Thanksgiving holiday. I decided to concentrate on the Pakistan intelligence agencies to see if I could find a middle man who contracted agents. First, I would find a contact in one of the agencies and ask about procurement to see if there was an avenue that I could follow.

6:30 AM

I said goodbye to Eddie as he left for the airport. I decided to make another pot of coffee before I began contacting the Pakistani intelligence community to see if there might be a procurement division. During my second cup of coffee, I emailed a contact within the Inter-Services Intelligence agency whom I knew was working late. His only reference was to the government procurement office which proved to be worthless to me. My guess was that any procurement involved in the kind of agents being used for the types of missions that I was investigating would most likely be of a clandestine nature.

All of a sudden, an idea struck me. I decided to contact Hasan via email and make him think that he was receiving another assignment. I had enough information that I could pose as the middle man. After all, he didn't know who he was dealing with, and all of his assignments had been via text or email. I sent him an email with the subject line, "Your Next Assignment." It didn't take him long to respond. I asked him to respond to the same online newspaper advertisement where he found his current employment. He was obviously very confused, but I readily had the ad that led to the middle man. I then emailed him and canceled the instructions that I had just given him and told him to wait for further contact.

These cloak and dagger activities were truly exciting and scary as well. After all, I was about to contact a cold-hearted killer, and I was a little nervous about getting into this guy's head. I applied to the online newspaper ad for the contract agent job. I received a response in less than half an hour. I readily made mental contact with the sender of the email who was not the middle man, by the way, but another agent who didn't have the information that I was seeking. He was already suspicious of me, because one of their tactics was to get my IP address and location as soon as possible. However, due to Eddie's expertise, I was hidden from their sight. He asked where I was located. I told him that I was watching him and described his surroundings. He was looking for a hidden camera. I then told him that I needed to contact the middle man immediately, and that if he didn't cooperate it would jeopardize his family, whom I disclosed by name. He was really sweating now and gave me the email address of the middle man.

My fingers were a little shaky at this point, but I fired off an email to the middle man. He answered me within minutes. He was a very scary fellow indeed. He was aware of my untraceability and was determined to torture me when he caught up with me to learn everything that I knew. Unfortunately, I actually knew what methods he was planning to use, and it was appalling to read his thoughts. I mentioned the virus, and at once I had the information that I needed. I now knew the agency and the contact for the operation that engineered the virus and its distribution. I logged off of my laptop, plopped down on the couch and tried to stop shaking. I was thankful for my progress, and I decided not to make any sudden moves. I needed to think through my plans and how I should proceed. I still needed to get some answers as to who instigated the virus, but that would come later. I was more interested in finding a cure at this point and hoped that I could get enough information to pass on to those who could develop that cure here in the states. There was no guarantee that a cure could be found. This was a virus of the nervous system, and I wasn't aware of any cures for other such diseases. Perhaps something could be developed that removed the effects of poor judgment, but that wasn't my responsibility. In the very least, a vaccine could be developed. I knew that much. I just needed to get others to take this virus seriously.

2:35 PM

Things were quiet in South Asia, and I decided to call Evelyn and the kids before I took a long nap. It was great to talk with everyone, and we all missed each other. They thought that it was pretty cool that dad was involved in a government operation, but I was afraid that they knew too much and admonished them to keep quiet about it. Evelyn was starting to prepare her pies for Thanksgiving, so she couldn't talk very long. I tried calling Eddie to let him know about my progress. Unfortunately, he didn't answer, and I didn't want to leave a message due to the subject matter. I was in desperate need of rest. It had been a long, arduous night. After a short shower, I got into bed and closed my eyes. I remembered that that there was a $50 million bounty out on my head. I still had a long way to go to accomplish what I set out to do, but I felt that I was making some progress. I started dreaming, because I could tell that my thoughts ceased to make good sense. I was soon asleep.

9:32 PM

I opened my eyes in the darkness. It was so quiet. I looked at the clock and realized that I needed to get up and get ready for my night of investigation. I went downstairs and fired up the coffee pot. I put a couple of eggs on the stove to boil and walked out to the pool area. The air was humid, and I assumed that rain was in the forecast. I stepped back inside to rescue my eggs from the boiling water. I mashed them with some butter and gulped them down with more coffee. I was alone. I felt alone. It was so quiet. I guess I had never realized just how quiet it could be in this house. However, it provided a great atmosphere to plan my night. I needed to follow up on the scientists who had engineered the virus. I was hoping to gather enough information that I could alert scientists in the U. S. in hope of finding a cure or creating a vaccine. I felt that I was finally making significant progress, and I hoped that I would be able to complete my mission soon.

I had a couple of hours before I would need to get started with more inquiries. What was I going to do to occupy my time? I had just the thing. I was curious about the other house at the end of the tunnel. I had time to go exploring, so after I finished the pot of coffee, I went to the basement, turned out the lights, and opened the panel behind the bar to slip into the passageway. I remembered the way to the house and took the long tunnel that led to the parking garage. It seemed like such a longer walk than when I traveled it with Eddie. I used the light on my phone to find the key on the floor. I gently opened the gate and stepped into the garage. It was fairly dark with dim lighting throughout. I slowly made my way through the garage, looking for any cameras that might detect my presence. So far, I didn't see any. I found a door that led to a stairway and very carefully and quietly opened it. I ascended the stairway to another door. I very slowly opened the door and listened to hear any noises. It was dead silent. I stepped into a very dark room which led into a kitchen. The only light was coming in through the window, and it was very dark outside. Rain was lightly falling on the windows without a sound.

I didn't know if anyone was in the house, but if there were someone, he was being very quiet. I suddenly realized that I needed to use the bathroom. A full pot of coffee wanted out, and I started looking for a toilet nearby. After wandering a couple of hallways, I found a bathroom. I decided not to flush until I was leaving the house, just in case someone was around who might hear it. I found a circular stairway that led upstairs. I quietly climbed the stairs, moving very slowly, and listening intently for any sounds. The house was very dark, and I was using the backlight on my phone to offer a slight bit of light to see my way around. There were three closed doors, and I assumed that they must be bedrooms. I was reluctant to open any doors. I stood in the hallway in silence not knowing which way to go.

Suddenly, one of the doors opened and a woman walked out into the dark hallway. I held my breath as my heart started pounding like a jackhammer. She was about twelve feet from me and walked the other direction in the darkness. Immediately, I started reading her thoughts. She was heading for the kitchen to make a pot of tea. Just before she got to the back stairway, she suddenly stopped. She sniffed the air, and I knew readily that she detected I was there. She turned toward me and said very deliberately, "Who's there?" I was frozen in my place. She repeated, "Who's there?" She was frightened, and so was I. I tried backing away quietly toward the front staircase that I had just ascended. "I can hear you," she shouted. "What do you want?" I didn't know whether to answer her and calm her down or just bolt for the garage. Either way she would probably call the police.

It's times like these that you look back on and say, "Well, if I had known then what I know now, I certainly would have handled that differently." I just wished that I knew now what I would know later. I could try to calm her down and confess my benign curiosity and desire to explore the house. I knew that wouldn't settle well with the owners, and she may still call the police, who would easily be able to find me. I could bolt down the stairs, open the front door as a decoy escape, and head to the garage. I opted for the latter and made a mad dash for my exit. I had trouble getting the front door open, because I was handling the lock and the doorknob with my hands through my shirt tail to avoid fingerprints. She had already retreated to her room, locked the door, and dialed 911. I finally got the door open, stopped by the bathroom to flush the toilet with my foot, and bolted down the stairway to the garage. I wiped my fingerprints from the door handles, made it through the gate, locked it, dropped the key on the floor in its original place, and ran down the passage.

I had stumbled onto the blind, adult daughter of the owners of the house. She was alone and very capable of caring for herself. I felt horrible for scaring her like that. I really didn't think that anyone was in the house. I started thinking of how much trouble I could get into for my curiosity. I dreaded telling Eddie about my stupidity, but I knew I would have to let him know in case there were any repercussions. I was sure by now the police were on their way, and I couldn't help but feel like I was being followed. I was running as fast as I could and looked back to see if anyone were there.

## **CHAPTER SIX**

### **_Quagmire_**
Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 12:03 AM

I opened my eyes. I was lying on a cold, hard floor, and all I could see was blurry, dim, blue light. I swept the floor with my hand to feel for my glasses, but I was unsuccessful. My head was aching severely, and I felt nauseous. I tried to sit up, but I was too dizzy. I lay there on the hard floor wondering where I was. What happened? Where was I? I felt really thirsty. I was afraid that I was going to pass out, so I attempted once again to sit up. I propped myself against the wall and tried to gain my thoughts. Oh, my aching head!

I reached in my pocket and found my phone. I used the light on my phone to look around. It looked like I was in some sort of hallway, but it was dimly lit, and I couldn't see very far. I looked around for my glasses. I thought that I spotted them about ten feet away. I began crawling in that direction but felt faint again and rolled over on my back. The floor was so cold. I knew I was hurt, but I didn't know how badly. I still couldn't make heads or tails of where I was. After a few minutes, I managed to get up on my hands and knees again and crawl closer to where I thought I saw my glasses. It was a slow process, and I never knew that one could stagger while crawling, but I was doing it. I finally reached the object on the floor and grabbed for it. Luckily, it was my glasses, and I put them on. Much to my dismay, things were still a bit blurry.

I realized that I was alone. I pressed redial on my phone. It was Eddie's number. I let it ring, but there was no answer. I waited a minute and pressed redial again. I was glad to hear his voice. "Adriel, is everything all right?"

"No! I'm hurt, and I don't know where I am."

"How did you get hurt?"

"I don't know. It's my head. It hurts terribly, and I can't see well."

"Where are you?"

"I don't know. It looks like a dimly lit hall with pale blue lights."

"You must be in the secret passage somewhere."

"What secret passage?"

"You don't remember the secret passage that we found?"

"No! Found where? Where am I?"

"Oh, no, Adriel! You are hurt badly. I'm not sure what to do. Let me think."

"Can you come and get me? I'm lost. You know where I am, right?"

"Yes, I do, but I'm a long way from you right now."

"Where are you?"

"I'm home with my family."

"Where am I?"

"You're in Orlando at the house."

"Orlando? What house? What's going on? Is Evelyn here?"

"No, she's not. Can you walk?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. Let me try to get up." I tried standing as I propped myself against the wall. "OK, I'm up, but I'm woozy."

"OK, now tell me in detail what you see!"

"I'm in a long hall, and I'm at an intersection. There are three ways to go."

"All right. If it's a long hall, then you're in the underground tunnel. Does one of the three ways go off of the other two at an angle, while the other two are in a straight line?"

"Um, yep."

"OK then, please listen carefully! Stand in the hall that goes straight so that the angled hall is on your right."

"Uh, OK, I'm standing in the long hall with the angled hall on my right."

"Good! Now stay on the phone and start walking straight ahead."

"OK, but I've got to take it slowly."

"I understand. You shouldn't have that far to go."

I followed the hall trying to keep my balance by touching the wall. Every minute or so Eddie would check if I were still on the phone. I finally came to a dead end.

"OK, Eddie, I'm at the end of the hall."

"All right, now push on the end of the hall, and it should open into the bar in the basement."

"There's a bar?"

"Yes, there's a fully stocked bar, but don't get any ideas. I don't want you drinking anything."

"But my head is killing me. I don't think one drink is going to hurt me."

"Adriel! Listen to me. Please don't drink anything. Push the door open."

I pushed, and the door swung wide to reveal a beautiful horseshoe bar in a very dimly lit room. I stepped into the bar and swung the door closed behind me. The bar was stocked with some of the finest liquor, and I felt like a kid in Fantasy Land.

Eddie was trying to get my attention. "Adriel! Are you there?"

"I'm here. Where do I go now?"

"OK, I know it's fairly dark, but if you step out from behind the bar and turn right, you will come to a stairway. Follow that stairway up, and you'll be just off the kitchen."

I went up the stairs and into the kitchen. "OK, I'm in the kitchen."

"All right. Follow the hall just a short way to the living area and sit on the couch."

I found the couch and had a seat. "OK, Eddie, I'm sitting on the couch. Thank you. This is much more comfortable and warmer too."

"Good! Now tell me the last thing that you remember."

"Well, let me think. I think the last thing I remember is having dinner with Evelyn. I'm pretty sure that she had a steak or something."

"Oh boy! This isn't good. I would ask you what in the world you were doing in the tunnel, but I know it's useless. Listen, Adriel, can you tell what I'm thinking?"

"Can I what?"

"Can you tell me what I'm thinking right now?"

"Well, I imagine that you're thinking that I can't remember how I got into that tunnel, and you're right."

"Oh no, this is worse than I thought, Adriel. Try to focus on my thoughts."

"Eddie, my head really hurts. I need to get a cold towel on it. Can I call you back?"

"OK, but if you don't call me in fifteen minutes, I'm calling you. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I understand. I just need something cold on my head."

"OK, take care of your head and call me right back."

I wandered around and found a bathroom. I took the hand towel and ran cold water on it and wrung it out. The cold towel on my head felt much better. I decided to go back to the couch and lie down. I was feeling sleepy, but I figured I had a concussion, so I knew that I needed to stay awake. I called Eddie back.

"OK, Eddie! I'm on the couch with a cold towel on my head."

"Good! Are you feeling any better?"

"A little, but I'm still really groggy though."

"Try not to fall asleep. See if you can occupy yourself with something to stay awake. I'm going to step my flight up and see if I can get out of here early Friday morning."

"What day is this?"

"It's Thursday about 1:30 in the morning."

"Where's Evelyn? Is everything all right?"

"Adriel, Evelyn is at home with your kids. They are all fine. You and I have some work to do in Orlando, and I needed to come home for a couple of days. I'll be back as early as I can on Friday. I'm going to check in with you in the morning to see how you are. OK?"

"Uh, sure! I'll see if I can find some games to keep me occupied for a while."

"OK, good! If you start feeling worse, please give me a call."

"All right. I'll talk to you later, Eddie."

I found a laptop computer and turned it on. Unfortunately I didn't know the password. I set it aside and decided to explore the house. The place was amazing, and I wondered how much it cost to stay here. My thirst was start to nag again, so I rummaged around to find some bottled water. It was in the refrigerator, which was fairly stocked with some great food. I really wasn't hungry and decided to go out to the pool. It looked somewhat inviting, so I took off my clothes and slipped into the shallow end. Obviously, no one was here, so I didn't need any swimming trunks. As I thought about it, I wasn't sure that I even owned any. What was I doing up in the middle of the night anyway? My head was starting to clear a bit, so I stayed in the pool to help keep me awake. Although, at this point I wasn't feeling very tired.

I started to wonder if there might be some coffee in the kitchen, so I climbed out of the pool and dried off. I put my shorts and t-shirt back on and headed into the kitchen. Sure enough, there was some great Columbian whole bean coffee, so I ground it up and made a pot. There was fresh cream in the refrigerator and stevia on the counter. Wow! Someone really knew how to stock a kitchen. I was impressed. There was enough food in the refrigerator to feed a family of six in style. I wondered if anyone would mind if I did a little cooking, but that would have to wait until I was hungry. Eddie told me not to drink. Otherwise, I would be in the basement right now at the bar having a gay old time. I realized that it probably wasn't a good idea, especially since I didn't know who owned this place or when anyone might be home. Besides, I wasn't sure if alcohol would be bad for a concussion.

4:15 AM

I was still trying to understand what I was doing here, and why Eddie was home. Why wasn't I home right now? He didn't mention that I should be doing anything. Then again, I probably wouldn't understand what he was telling me. I checked my phone for the date. I was really alarmed that it was Thanksgiving Day, and I wasn't home. What had happened? Did Evelyn and I split up or something? I was going to wait until morning to call her, but now that I knew what day it was, I couldn't wait. I figured that the kids must be there, so I tried her cell phone. No answer. She probably had it turned off. I had to talk to her. I called the home phone. I was glad to hear her voice.

"Adriel, is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. What's going on? Why am I not home?"

"What do you mean? You and Eddie decided that it would be too risky to have you come home for the holiday. Are you all right?"

"No, I'm not. Are you and I OK?"

"Of course we are, Sweetie. What's going on?"

"Well, I think I hit my head really hard. I already talked to Eddie, and he's going to take an earlier flight here on Friday. I didn't realize what day it was until I checked my phone."

"Oh dear! How did you hit your head?"

"I don't know. I woke up disoriented and hit redial on my phone and got Eddie. He helped me find my way back to the house."

"Back to the house? Where were you?"

"I was in some secret passage tunnel somewhere."

"What are you talking about? What secret passage?"

"I don't know. I don't know anything."

"Are you all right by yourself right now? I mean, do I have time to call Eddie so that I can find out where you are, because I'm flying down there on the first flight I can get."

"Uh, I guess so. Are the kids there?"

"Yes, they're here, but they can take care of dinner without me. You just sit tight. Can you give me Eddie's number?"

"Sure! Hold on."

I gave Evelyn Eddie's cell number and let her go to call him. She called me back in about half an hour. She had the address and had booked a flight that was leaving in two hours. She was getting ready to wake the kids to let them know that they were on their own for dinner, and she would call them when she got to me. I was so anxious to see her. She told me to hold on, and that she should be here around noon. That made me feel so much better. I decided to go back into the pool for a while to kill some time.

6:00 AM

Eddie called to check on me. He said that Evelyn was so mad at him that she could hardly talk. He understood, but he wasn't sure how safe it was for her to come here. I didn't understand what he meant by that. This seemed like a great place. I didn't see any danger. Anyway, Eddie decided to fly in even earlier and arrive tonight around 8:00. I wasn't sure how that was going to work with Evelyn here, but I wasn't going to argue with him.

Finally, I was starting to get hungry, and I thought that was probably a good sign. I wandered into the kitchen and checked out the refrigerator. I wasn't sure what I had been eating, but it was definitely breakfast time. Oh my! There was nitrite free bacon, just my style. In fact, everywhere I looked it seemed like someone had my same tastes. That was certainly fortunate, because it would make cooking a lot easier. I whipped up an omelet with onion, garlic, spinach, feta, and Parmesan. Within minutes, I was enjoying bacon and eggs a la Adriel. More coffee!

8:00 AM

I was getting rather wired from so much coffee, because I had made a second pot. All of a sudden, the name Angela popped into my mind. Angela! What a pretty name! I was trying to recall if I knew an Angela, but I couldn't think of one. It certainly was a nice name. It made me smile. I felt like I should be doing something, but I wasn't sure what it was. I picked up the laptop again and tried Angela as the password. Nothing! I put the laptop on the table and stared at it. I was supposed to do something with the laptop. I was pretty sure of that. Eddie would know. I decided to wait until he showed up to tell me what to do.

I tried to remember what I had done after Evelyn had that steak at the restaurant. I thought that I remembered being with Eddie, but I wasn't sure where. I walked around for a while and decided to go out front. My car was sitting right there in the driveway. That's it! I was driving with Eddie. I remember driving. That's how we got here, but why did I come here with Eddie, and Evelyn stayed home? This made no sense. She would be here soon, and I could ask her. I walked through the house to get more familiar. I found my room. My clothes were in the dresser drawers and on the floor. I went into the bathroom. My toothbrush was sitting on the sink. I had been sleeping here. I lay on the bed to see if anything came back to me. Nothing seemed familiar. I got up and went back downstairs. I needed to stay awake and occupy myself until Evelyn arrived. I decided to get back into the pool for a while.

11:45 AM

My phone rang. It was Evelyn. She was on her way from the airport. I was so relieved. Maybe she could make sense out of all of this. I was anxious to see her, and I was so glad that she would soon be here. I went to the kitchen to see what I might fix for our lunch. I found some leftover turkey that could be used for a salad or sandwiches. I decided to make a cup of Earl Grey tea as I waited.

Evelyn called again. She was at the front gate. I wasn't sure how to open the gate to let her in. I had to call Eddie to find out where the remote control was kept. Eddie wanted to ask questions to see how I was doing, but I didn't have time. I pressed the button on the remote that was sitting on the counter in the kitchen. Finally, she was at the front door with an overnight bag. I opened the door, and she threw her arms around me. It felt so good to be in her arms. She was crying and asking me questions, and I didn't have answers. I started asking her questions. I was more than shocked to hear her tell me that I was on some sort of government mission. I got really worried, because I had no idea what I was doing here. I started remembering conversations with Eddie and something about a world crisis. My memories were jumbled, and I wasn't remembering things in sequence according to Evelyn. I really needed Eddie to help sort things out.

Evelyn insisted that I go to the hospital. She had located the nearest facility on her way here and escorted me to the car. I tried to talk her out of it, but it was impossible. I was glad that we didn't spend half the day waiting to have me examined. They got me in relatively quickly and performed some scans. I did have a concussion, but there was no real damage that they could detect. Evelyn called our children and gave them an update. Things were fine at home. She drove us back to the house as she tried to think of ways to jog my memory. I told her that I thought that I was supposed to be doing something with the laptop, but I didn't know the password.

3:34 PM

We returned to the house, and I used the remote that I had taken with me to open the gate. Once we got inside, Evelyn asked to see the laptop. She tried about five passwords before guessing the right one. I asked her what it was, and she told me, "evelynwright', which was her maiden name. I thanked her for her help and took the laptop. I clicked on the email icon and began reading the emails in stark horror. Evelyn was reading over my shoulder. She gasped. I looked up at her in bewilderment. I didn't remember reading or writing any of those emails, and there were scores of them. It appeared that South Asia was in chaos, largely because of me.

I sat on the couch stupefied. Evelyn sat next to me in silence. I answered her, "Yes, apparently that's what I have been doing here."

"What?" Evelyn looked over at me and blinked her eyes.

"I said, that must be what I have been doing here. I was just answering your question."

"I didn't ask a question, Adriel."

"Sure you did. You asked if that is what I had been doing here the whole time."

"No, Sweetie, I didn't. I was thinking that, but I didn't say it."

"Really! I could have sworn I heard you ask me that."

We were both hungry, so I offered to cook. Evelyn was apprehensive about letting me expose myself to sharp knives and hot surfaces, but I assured her that I was fine. I decided to forego the leftover turkey, even though it was Thanksgiving. I pounded out two chicken breasts and seasoned them with paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. I fried them in coconut oil and made sandwiches with whole wheat bread, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and avocado. After we enjoyed our sandwiches by the pool, I returned to the kitchen to see what there was for dinner. I found some salmon in the freezer and put it in a bowl of cold water to thaw.

I turned to Evelyn and exclaimed, "Angela!"

"What?" Evelyn looked over at me with a confused look.

"I made grilled salmon for Angela," I explained.

"Who is Angela, and why were you cooking for her?" Evelyn had that convicting tone in her voice.

"I don't know. I just remember the name Angela, and that I cooked grilled salmon for her at some point."

"What kind of nonsense does Eddie have you into now?" Evelyn was furious.

"I don't know, but I don't think there's any reason to be upset. I don't know the details, and I may be wrong about Angela. I need for Eddie to clear this up."

"Oh, Eddie has some clearing up to do, all right!" Evelyn was fuming.

"Calm down. I'm sorry I said anything about Angela. I'm just trying to remember things."

I led Evelyn out to the pool. She loved to swim, and I knew this would be a good diversion for her until later in the evening when Eddie arrived. After Evelyn had enjoyed swimming several laps, we decided to relax beside the pool, and she tried to jog my memory by asking questions.

7:50 PM

I heard the gate alarm that sounded when I had used the remote control to let Evelyn in. I knew it was Eddie coming in the front gate. He used the key pad to enter, and he dropped his bag in the foyer. We all went to the living area where Evelyn started interrogating Eddie like a prosecutor in a murder case. "What's this I hear about secret passageways, and what's my husband doing there?"

Eddie explained, "There are extensive secret passages in this house, but what Adriel was doing down there, I really don't know."

Evelyn was insistent. "Well, he had to be running from something. I want to see what's down there."

I interjected, "I'm not so sure that's a good idea. Whatever I was running from could still be there."

"Evelyn, there's really nothing to see down there. Besides, I'm sure you know how easily Adriel gets himself worked up. He probably thought he saw something."

Eddie was doing his best to be cooperative and understanding. Evelyn started accusing Eddie of exposing me to unnecessary danger. Finally, Eddie had enough. "Look, Evelyn. None of this was my idea. You have to know that. In fact, my only involvement in this whole mess was to save Adriel's ass. If it weren't for me, he would either be behind bars with no hope of getting out or buried in some shallow grave somewhere. So, lighten up a little bit. I know you're upset, but we have bigger problems on our hands right now."

"My husband has a concussion, and he's not sure how it happened, and you have bigger problems right now?" Evelyn walked out of the kitchen into the living area.

I was beginning to hear disjointed conversations at this point, but no one was talking. I finally spoke up and told them that I could hear them talking, but they weren't saying anything. Eddie interjected at that point. "That's good news, Adriel!"

Evelyn was indignant. "My husband has a concussion and is hearing voices, and you think that's good news?"

"Actually, Evelyn, it is. Adriel has been able to read people's thoughts from around the world."

"Oh, brother! I think you both took a hit to the head." Evelyn crossed her arms.

I had to interject. "Wait, Evelyn. I think Eddie's right. I mean I can hear what you are both thinking, and by the way, you are both really concerned for my welfare, but in two very different respects. We need to work together here, because I'm fairly certain that I'm needed somewhere, but I can't remember where."

I made a salmon salad to curb our appetites. We spent the next several hours discussing what had transpired up to the point of Eddie's departure for the holiday. Evelyn was incredulous as she listened to Eddie's explanation of the events as he recounted the installation of the server to the final emails that he was aware of before he left. She jumped up and started yelling at Eddie when he explained about the $50 million bounty for my arrest. Things were starting to spin out of control, and I tried to calm Evelyn by reminding her that we all needed to work together. Eddie was growing increasingly concerned with Evelyn's knowledge of this whole ordeal, but he knew that it was inevitable. She really needed to know. Evelyn became very self-conscious when she learned that we were all on webcam. She was relieved when Eddie assured her that there was no audio recording. At least, that's what he thought. He said that if there were, it was separate from the video.

At this point, I was reading their thoughts accurately. I was making progress, and I tried to think about the last week's activities. Things were still very sketchy, but little by little I was beginning to recall communicating via email and being able to read thoughts. As Evelyn and Eddie continued their discussion, I turned to the emails to familiarize myself with what had been exchanged to this point. The last email was to the middle man, who knew information that I needed to know. I looked for any notes on the matter but found none. I did find notes with lists of names and email addresses, but didn't know who they were, or why I had them. I continued to analyze the emails. There were very few responses, but I assumed that was because I could read the thoughts of the recipients and needed no response. I followed the trail to the last email. Obviously, this last email was the key to the current situation. I decided to wait until business hours in Pakistan to try resending the email and see if I could retrieve the information that I had forgotten. I had come a long way in the last few hours, and I hoped that my recovery would escalate more rapidly. Eddie had just finished clearing up the episode about Angela, and I was sorry that I only caught the tail end of his explanation. Evelyn was exhausted, and I suggested that she go upstairs to my room and get some sleep.

Eddie and I settled in to review the email strings together. We read them in succession, and along the way snippets of information came back to my memory. Our immediate goal was to determine what the next course of action was that needed to be taken before it was too late. We could see that a conference was to be held in Geneva which was scheduled to start in a few hours. Eddie encouraged me to go up and get some sleep. He was going to set an alarm so that we could reconvene just before the peace talk in Geneva.
Friday, November 23, 12:15 AM

Eddie came knocking at my bedroom. Evelyn awoke before I did and answered the door. He said that he would meet us in the living area as soon as I was up. Evelyn shook me, and I tried to clear my head. I was groggy and needed a few minutes to collect myself. Evelyn was surprised that most of my activity had been in the middle of the night. She knew that I was a morning person, and that functioning at night was not my strength. I let her take a shower while I went downstairs to make coffee.

Eddie was on the couch with his laptop. He was monitoring the activity within the roundhouses and was surprised that all was quiet. He mentioned that it was just like it was before I started my emails. He saw no activity. That actually made him a little suspicious, but he assumed that the technicians who tried to track me had given up. How wrong he was, but at this point we didn't know. I made a full pot of strong coffee for Evelyn and myself. No one was hungry at this time, so I excused myself from the kitchen and grabbed my laptop. I wanted to wait until Evelyn came downstairs before I got started. I thought it might do her some good to see what we had been doing.

More and more memory was coming back to me now, and I remembered the weeks of conversations that Eddie and I had in the restaurant. I remembered the trip to Orlando and the installation of the server at the commercial site. I started to remember going to the grocery and laughed at myself for being impressed with the food in the house. I was chuckling when Evelyn walked in.

"I'm glad someone thinks something is funny." Evelyn had fixed her coffee and was sipping it from her cup with both hands.

"Well, if I don't keep laughing, I'm afraid I'll just start crying." I wanted to lighten the mood, but we were engaged in seriously dangerous business.

Eddie wanted me to concentrate on the U. S. delegate who was attending the peace talk. I focused on the Under Secretary to see what he was thinking. He had just deplaned and was drinking from a flask. I looked over at Eddie with raised eyebrows as I recounted what I was detecting. I could read the U. S. delegate's thoughts, and he was very nervous about the virus. I learned that he was a competitive chess player and didn't want to risk his abilities by being infected by a virus that could impair his reasoning skills. As a precaution, he was doubling the dosage of alcohol that was prescribed for him. The meeting was scheduled at the Palais des Nations at 9:00 AM with breakfast and lunch provided, and all of the delegates were now en route to the peace talk. I started testing my thought radar to see if I was in tune with all of the players. So far, so good. Evelyn was observing very quietly as she sipped her second cup of coffee.

2:00 AM

I stayed tuned as the attendees filed into the Palais des Nations. There were several other participants of whom I was unaware, but my main focus was on Pakistan and India with a secondary interest in the United States. Coffee and tea were being poured by servers, and plates of fruit, pastries, cheeses, and quiches were in array on a long buffet table. The delegates were filling their plates and conversing as they ate. The meeting was scheduled to begin in less than an hour. This gave me time to prepare a quick breakfast for Evelyn and Eddie. Eddie wasn't hungry, and Evelyn just needed something to mix with the acidity of the coffee in her stomach. I whipped up a quick, simple omelet, and Evelyn and I had a bite before the talks ensued.

Once the talk started, there was a significant amount of decorum and procedure which caused things to progress at a snail's pace. I was getting rather bored as were Evelyn and Eddie. Evelyn went upstairs to lie down again, and Eddie focused on any network activity. Still nothing. After several hours had passed, and lunch was over in Geneva, I perked up as the United States, Pakistan, and India requested to meet privately behind closed doors. After a bit of discussion and concession, the three delegates were escorted to a secure conference room to resume their private portion of the peace talk. Once they were secured in a separate room, the conversation took an alarming turn.

6:10 AM

I could see that the Pakistan prime minister was aware of the inebriated state of the U. S. delegate and the impaired judgment of the Indian prime minister. He leveraged his advantage to steer them toward finding me. He wanted to secure my retribution for disclosing the coordinates to the nuclear sites. Up to this point, the three of them had agreed to keep me a secret to the rest of the delegates, but now that they were alone and being manipulated by Pakistan, there was a consensus that I was the perpetrator of malicious acts against the relationship between Pakistan and India. Finding me at all costs was their immediate priority, and an agreement was made to cease any and all aggression between the two countries while a global search for me was conducted. The technical advisors of all three countries were on alert and meetings were planned to discuss the tactics to trace my whereabouts. I was relaying all of this to Eddie as fast as I received it, and I was so glad that Evelyn was upstairs asleep. Eddie was anxious to hear what the plan was to find us, but at this point no specifics were being shared. I just knew that I needed to be on the alert once the technicians agreed on a method. Once again, I began to feel that sick sensation in my stomach that destroyed my appetite.

I listened in as decisions were made to schedule a mandatory video conference between the three countries with their lead technicians. They weren't wasting any time and agreed to meet on Sunday, giving them all time to return home and prepare the appropriate personnel. The exact time had not yet been established, but I was reasonably certain that it would once again be in the wee hours of our morning. I was on alert, but I needed to work smart and determine who was spearheading the meeting so that I could learn all the details.

10:44 AM

Just then, Evelyn came downstairs rubbing her eyes. Eddie and I looked at one another. I could read his mind, and he knew what I was thinking. Should we let Evelyn know what was happening? I wasn't sure how long she was going to stick around, but I knew that she was thinking that it would be really hard to go back home at this point knowing everything that she had learned. She took a few minutes to call the kids to see how they were doing. They were scheduled to fly back to their homes on Sunday, and Evelyn wanted to spend some time with them before they left. She decided to take the first flight back home later this afternoon in spite of her concerns for what I was doing. Eddie and I were relieved, although it was great to see her, and I would miss her terribly.

Evelyn found a 6:40 flight this evening. She wanted to know how long Eddie and I thought that this mission was going to take. We regretfully told her that we weren't sure, and that it all depended on what transpired from here. It was impossible to predict. She was frustrated and disappointed, not to mention extremely fearful for my future. We spent the early part of the afternoon enjoying a light lunch and talking about more pleasant things to pass the time.

5:00 PM

I was getting really tired, and it was about time for Evelyn to head to the airport. Eddie volunteered to drive her, and I was hoping that they didn't get into another argument on the way. I thanked him for his offer, kissed my wife goodbye, and dried her tears. I waved to her as they headed toward the gate, and then I went upstairs to collapse on my bed. Evelyn called about four hours later. We talked for a few minutes, and then I went back to sleep.

11:35 PM

I woke up and started remembering more of what I had forgotten. I decided to take a quick shower before heading downstairs to see if Eddie might still be up. I felt that I was getting back into the upside down sleeping routine again, and I didn't want to break the rhythm since I assumed that this would be my work schedule for a while. Work schedule! I had totally forgotten about my job.
Saturday, November 24, 12:30 AM

I trippingly descended the stairs and logged on to my work laptop. I was apprehensive as I scanned my email for any new projects. I weeded my way through dozens of emails, mostly of no concern to me, and much to my surprise and delight, I found no pressing tasks. Everyone had been in holiday mode the entire week, and nobody was submitting projects until they returned. Lucky me. About that time, Eddie came downstairs after hearing me milling about.

He looked like he had something on his mind, and I started reading it immediately. He wanted to ask what I was doing in the tunnel the night before last when I hit my head. I tried to remember why I was there, but nothing was coming to mind. I still hadn't been able to recall the email exchange with the middle man, and I needed to follow up on that to find out what I had forgotten.

Eddie sat down on the couch and reached for his laptop. "You went exploring again the other night, didn't you?"

"I don't know. I must have. I guess I was bored or something. I really can't remember."

"I went down there earlier while you were sleeping to see if I could find anything that would make sense as to why you fell. I couldn't find anything, which tells me that you must have been running rather fast through the tunnel. Can't you remember anything?"

"Nope! Not a thing!"

"Well, based on the layout of the hallways, I would imagine that you were running from the angled hallway, which leads to the garage, and somehow you ran into the wall of the intersecting hallway. Does that ring a bell?"

"Nope! It doesn't."

"Maybe you and I need to do a little exploring together."

"Maybe! If you say so!" I was still clueless as to what happened that night.

Eddie fiddled with his laptop while I made a pot of coffee. I hadn't had enough sleep, but I wanted to try to stick with the schedule. After a few minutes, Eddie closed his laptop and invited me into the tunnel. I downed my first cup of coffee, and we went to the basement.

I followed Eddie through the tunnel to the gate that led to the parking garage. He retrieved the key from the floor and started to unlock the gate. I grabbed his arm and warned him not to open the gate.

"Why shouldn't I open the gate?"

"I'm not sure, but I have a really bad feeling about it. Don't do it."

"You haven't given me a good reason." Eddie unlocked the gate and opened it.

"I'm not going any further," I protested. "You can go on if you want, but I'm going back."

Eddie closed the gate and locked it. "I was hoping that this might jog your memory. Do you still not know what happened?"

"Not really, but I know it wasn't good. I'm sure that it will come to me in time, but now is not that time."

We walked back through the tunnel to the house. I got a second cup of coffee and settled down with my laptop. I was going to resend the email to the middle man to see what I needed to know about the virus that was mentioned therein. Eddie was curious about what I hoped to learn about the origin of the virus and sat next to me. I sent the email, but it returned in a few minutes as undeliverable. His email address was no longer valid. Eddie stood up and chided, "I don't know what made you enter the tunnel while I was gone, but I really wish you hadn't done it." He then walked out to the pool area.

I sat on the couch staring into space. I must have found something. Otherwise, the middle man would not have deactivated his email. I knew from reading the previous emails that I had run out of options. I remembered Javeria and her contact who committed suicide. I remembered sending the other emails to the list of operatives and how unproductive it was. I needed to remember what I had learned, but the harder I tried, the harder it seemed for me to recollect what I must have known. Why didn't I write it down?

The bump on my head was still really sore. Evelyn had suggested that I put ice on it, but ice hurt worse than the bump. I put my laptop on the table and joined Eddie by the pool. I really didn't know what to say. I had created a mess in South Asia, and now I was missing important memories most likely due to a stupid decision that I also couldn't remember. I was still puzzled as to why I was chosen for this mission. The only confirmation I had was the dream about ASTROSAT, but I was beginning to doubt even that. I had done a lot of crazy things in my life, but I knew that this one was by far the craziest. At least there didn't seem to be a nuclear crisis at this time, but I wasn't sure of that. I was now on the defensive waiting to learn what tactics the triune force would use to find me. My future appeared to be flickering like a light bulb on the verge of going out.

Eddie was the first to speak. "I don't know where we go from here, Adriel. Right now we're faced with playing a serious chess game with a team of technicians who have unlimited resources to find us. I'm not comfortable with that."

"Neither am I, Eddie. I know I screwed up. I'm not sure what I did, but there's enough evidence that I really screwed up."

"I won't argue that, but there's nothing we can do to change the past. Not only are we no closer to finding what we need, but we're further than when we started, because our leads are drying up."

"I know, Eddie. Pakistan had the upper hand in the private peace talk because India was infected, and the U. S. was inebriated. I guess the fear of the virus is just as powerful as the virus itself. Judgment was impaired either way."

Eddie turned to face me. "Maybe you've been approaching this all the wrong way."

"What do you mean, Eddie?" I knew what he meant, but I remembered him getting upset when I reminded him that I could read his thoughts.

Eddie gave me a sideways glance with half a squint. He knew I was placating him. "Maybe finding the origin of the virus isn't the right path. Maybe you're missing a more direct plan to stop the nuclear crisis."

"Like what?"

"I don't know yet, but we keep hitting a brick wall one way or the other. Let's focus on something other than the virus for a change and see where it leads us."

I had to admit that Eddie's advice sounded reasonable. He was right about us hitting a brick wall. Maybe I was getting more direction than I realized. I was so dead set on finding the origin of the virus to help prevent its spreading throughout the world that I may have been missing any direction that was being provided. I needed to take a step back and reassess the situation. At least Pakistan and India were diverted for the moment in alliance to find me. I didn't particularly find that comforting, but it did serve a purpose.

4:00 AM

I decided to focus on the Prime Minister of Pakistan. It appeared that he was responsible for leading the search to find my location. I learned that a meeting was scheduled for 10:00 AM Pakistan time tomorrow. That means that I had to be ready to listen in at midnight tonight. I would need to get some good sleep, because I wasn't sure what to expect. I planned to go to bed at 2:00 in the afternoon hoping that I would be able to get some rest by evening. My waking and eating schedules were completely out of kilter. My appetite was sporadic, and I was missing my regular routine, but nothing could be done. I felt like a ship on the ocean with no rudder being tossed wherever the wind and waves decided to take me. I was working in the dark searching for an object that I had no idea how to recognize. This was the most frustrating task I had ever encountered.

I asked Eddie if he was hungry. As was his usual response, he said that he could eat something. I swear, if I didn't ask him, he would never eat; at least that's the way it seemed. I was getting rather tired of breakfast food. I never thought I'd ever admit that, but it was happening. Although I wasn't that hungry, I knew I needed to eat. My clothing was looser than usual, so I knew that I was losing weight. I began to search through the freezer to see what I had on hand. Nothing that I found seemed very appealing at the moment. I needed carbohydrates. Does anyone really need carbohydrates? I certainly thought I did.

I set the oven to 400 degrees, measured some flour into a bowl, added salt, baking powder and a generous amount of butter. The butter was worked into the flour with a pastry blender. When it resembled coarse corn meal, I added some sprinkles of ice cold water and kneaded the dough lightly, which then got rolled out and cut into circular shapes for layered biscuits. I placed the biscuits on a baking sheet and shoved them into the oven for twelve minutes. The biscuits rose to wonderfully golden brown towers that smelled delightful. I placed a few biscuits on Eddie's plate and set the jar of honey on the table. He glanced over from his laptop and asked if this was all we were eating. I quickly made him a cheese omelet and slid it onto his plate. I poured honey all over my biscuits and ate them with a fork as I intermittently sipped my coffee. It seemed that this was just what I needed until later when I couldn't seem to quench my thirst from all the carbohydrates. I figured I must be a borderline diabetic.

7:15 AM

Eddie was busy catching up on his work, so I decided this was a good time for me to start my reassessment of our current situation. I started at the beginning, way back to Jane and Kate. I was introduced to this assignment by realizing that I was able to perceive and understand things that normally aren't allowed for descendants. That fact alone led me to believe that there was purpose in it. I started getting knowledge from somewhere that there was a potential global crisis brewing, and it involved Pakistan and India. I also received information about the virus, but conversely I also received information that the virus was a hoax. I had confirmed that the virus did exist causing the false informer to retreat. Who was he? Why had I received conflicting information? I obviously had an adversary in a super-dimension. Otherwise, why would I have received false information? Moreover, why was I allowed to receive that false information? Was I really being guided, or was I making all of this up as I went? I had no doubt that I could read minds, and although I confirmed the virus, the Prime Minister of Pakistan was unaware of its existence. I still didn't know who was responsible, and so far I was unable to determine the origin. I came so close more than once only to be thwarted by some means or another.

What did I really know so far? Pakistan was taking advantage of the virus, because the Prime Minister manipulated the U. S. and India to join a task force to find me. Pakistan saw me as a threat. I knew that they were upset about the EMP embarrassment, and they wanted to retaliate. I was the only acceptable target at this time. This wasn't just a retaliatory move on Pakistan's part. They had far more to hide was my guess, and they were fearful that I would disclose the real threat. Why hadn't I found it yet? It seemed apparent due to my experiences that I had yet to focus on the current thoughts of the individuals who were thinking about the secrets that they did not want disclosed. There was something lurking beneath a rock that I had not uncovered yet. I really needed help. So far, I had only one dream about a situation that I would soon have learned anyway. The dream did not benefit me any more than just a confirmation that I was engaged in the right area. The right area. That area was India, not Pakistan.

9:14 AM

Eddie came to a stopping point with his work. He set his laptop aside and stretched. He took a deep breath and gave a long sigh before sauntering out to the pool area. I tagged along and sat in my usual deck chair.

I was the first to break the silence. "Well, I have been thinking about the situation, and I might have some direction."

"Oh? What's that?" Eddie was standing with his hands on his hips looking at the pool.

"Well, based on the dream that I had about ASTROSAT, I began to think that it might be pointing me in the direction of India rather than Pakistan."

"I suppose that's a possibility. It's the only confirmation you've had at this point, but if that's true, then I find it somewhat alarming that you informed the Prime Minister of Pakistan of a virus that was unleashed on India, and now he seems to be taking advantage of that fact."

"Yeah. It appears that I keep making mistakes. Just the same, I think I need to start digging within the Indian government to see what I can find."

"Well, it certainly couldn't hurt, as long as you don't go disclosing information again that creates another problem."

Eddie seemed rather aloof. I could see that he was discouraged and wanted this to all be over. I didn't blame him. I wanted the same, but my task wasn't finished. I knew that much. I was hoping to find something worthwhile, so I started looking within India to find that loose thread. Of course, last time my loose thread hit a snag. I can't worry about the past. I need to continue groping in the dark for an unlocked door. So, I continued.

It was getting toward evening in India. I focused on the Prime Minister of India to see if I could learn anything. He was home with his family, and his thoughts weren't engaged in political situations. Why did nothing seem to fall into place? I was trying to align my perspective with what I thought I was supposed to do. I seemed to be dead in the water until tonight when the countries would meet for the search mission to find me. Eddie had already gone upstairs to get some sleep. I sat by the pool for a while, enjoying the rest of the morning.

12:15 PM

I hadn't eaten anything substantial all day, so I went to the kitchen to find a light snack with some protein to hold me over until tonight. I boiled some shrimp for a minute and dropped them into ice water. I made a salad while they cooled. I topped the vegetables with the shrimp and enjoyed my light lunch. There was nothing to do at this point, so I decided to get some sleep. It took over two hours before I finally drifted off in a slumber.

11:15 PM

I looked at the clock. I had slept fairly well, and I needed to get up. The video meeting with Pakistan, India, and the U. S. was going to start in less than an hour. I took a quick shower, dressed, and headed for the kitchen to make coffee. Eddie was already in the living area on his laptop. All was still eerily quiet on the data highway. I joined him on the couch with my coffee and laptop. I was curious as to how they were going to find me when I hadn't sent any emails to them for days. I started tracking the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The meeting would soon be underway. He was in conversation with some of his aides, and the lead technicians were due to arrive at any moment. I paused for another cup of coffee. I figured the meeting wouldn't get kicked off to a good pace for at least half an hour.
Sunday, November 25, 12:02 AM

I was getting ready to pour my second cup of coffee when I realized that the cream was down to the last few drops, so I retrieved another container from the refrigerator. I was lazily stirring a spoonful of stevia into my coffee when Eddie yelled. I grabbed my cup, spilling coffee on the counter and rushed over to the couch.

"What happened?" I tried to focus on the technical analysts.

"They flooded the data lines with thousands of email responses," Eddie replied as his fingers flew across the keyboard.

I homed in on one of the technicians. They had taken an email from me and duplicated a response 500,000 times and sent them out. The technicians from all three countries were following suit. The roundhouse programs were aborting due to server memory overflows. Tracking programs were used to capture the decryption load modules that were still sitting in the server processing partitions. They now had the location of over 300 roundhouses and the object code for the decryption program. I was more panicked than Eddie. He was fast at work and couldn't explain to me at the moment what actions he was taking. I could read what he was doing, but not the impact that they had on his system. His fingers were like lightning. It was at least five minutes before he could take a breath and bring me up to speed.

Eddie was deep in thought as he leaned back and laced his fingers behind his head. I didn't disturb him. He was doing a mental inventory of the situation. He leaned forward and began explaining. Apparently, they overloaded the network to freeze the process in order to capture the decryption software. They would be able to convert it to readable source code in minutes with a converter. They now had the encryption/decryption software, but not the random generated keys used to decrypt the messages. Unfortunately, due to the decrypted messages in the overloaded roundhouse memory pool they found the addresses to many of the roundhouses. Eddie had relied on the split second processing that would be nearly impossible to capture, but they found a way to freeze the environment by overloading it and bringing it to a halt. We had taken a staggering blow, but we weren't down yet.

The first line roundhouses for the email replies were located in Europe and Canada. I was monitoring the technicians who were now devising a way to find the second line roundhouses, most of which included the same roundhouses as the first line. I remembered Eddie's explanation of bouncing the email packets around like pinballs. He was confident that they would get nowhere with their current plan. He wasn't sure how long it would take for them to realize that and start a new tactic, but for now they were feverishly pursuing a dead end. He was smiling, and I could read his arrogant thoughts. He was good at what he did, and he knew it. I was a little concerned as to how we would proceed. In order to evoke thoughts in people with the information that I needed I had to send emails to get them thinking on certain lines. Eddie reminded me that everything happens for a reason. He wasn't aloof at all like he had been earlier. He was sparring with some of the best technicians in the world, but they also fell into the 97% rule. There may be one or two formidable opponents among them, but they probably wouldn't come close to Eddie's capabilities. However, the email crisis wasn't over yet. There's an old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," which would prove to be apropos to our situation.

I decided to take a break and clean up the kitchen. Eddie was answering an email to the owners of the house to give them an update. I was continuing to read the minds of some of the technicians that I could target. Some were conferring as to how they could identify the path back to the original server. They were discussing the fact that they had multiple copies of the decrypted emails, and they were determining strings of IP addresses. This didn't sound good to me so I went back to the living area to notify Eddie. He began to realize that putting the decryption software within the email wrapper had been a mistake. He was now wishing that he had kept the black box architecture from his original design. I asked him what this meant. He thought for a few moments and then told me that we could be detected if they were successful in reconstructing the chains. I was getting very nervous and asked what our next move should be.

Eddie needed time to think. He asked to borrow my car to go to the commercial site to retrieve the server. I gave him my keys. As he walked out the door I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. This wasn't good. Eddie was pulling the server, which meant that he no longer trusted the location and IP address. I felt badly that he had paid a full six months rent on the office space, and we had only been there for a couple of weeks. I wasn't sure what his plans were. Right now, he was thinking of where to put the server next. I didn't have any real information to tell Evelyn, but once the dust settled, I would need to let her know what we planned to do. I sat by the pool and looked around. I had the feeling that my surroundings were about to change. I was just glad that we had put the server in a commercial property with an IP address that couldn't be traced to this house.

3:30 AM

I tried to check if the $50 million bounty was still offered for me. I was unable to connect, and I realized that Eddie had already taken the server down and was on his way back here. I could read his mind. He was going to ship the server to Idaho. He planned to get Angela onboard. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I knew that she was a nice girl. I chuckled as I was showing my age. Angela was at least forty years old. I waited for Eddie to return. I knew he had a plan. At least one of us did.

I saw the headlights shine through one of the front windows. Eddie had returned with the server in the back of my car. He came in, passing through the kitchen, and laid my keys on the counter. He met me in the living area and sat in the recliner. I asked him what he thought our next move was. He explained that we needed to change our geographical location greatly. I admitted that I knew that he was thinking of Idaho and getting Angela involved. I questioned if he thought that was wise. The fewer people involved, the better. Eddie said that he was beginning to think that we couldn't do this on our own. I was concerned that Evelyn just learned the extent of what we were doing, and now Angela was about to be exposed to something that she may wish she hadn't. Eddie asked if I had any better suggestions. Obviously, I didn't. He didn't want to involve family or friends with whom he had ongoing relationships. Angela was his only acquaintance that he wasn't sure would endure. We were out of options.

We were sitting in the dark. I was discouraged at this point, thinking I had completely mishandled the whole ordeal. I murmured in frustration, "Dear God. Please give us some direction." At that moment, I was joined by an overseer on my left side. My blood ran cold as ice. "Eddie! There's an overseer in the room."

"I know, Adriel." Eddie was speaking very cautiously. "He's standing off to my right."

"No, no! He's on my left."

"No, he's not. He's right here. Describe what you see, Adriel."

"He's tall. I'm sitting, but he has to be nearly eight feet."

"OK, what's he wearing?"

"He's wearing a white robe."

"OK, Adriel! Is it tied at the waist?"

"Uh, no! It flows from his shoulders."

"OK, so far, you are describing what I'm seeing. What color is his hair?"

"It's light brown, shoulder length."

"Check. Now, describe his face."

"I can't see his face. It's blurred like I've been looking into the sun."

"We're seeing the same thing in two places, Adriel."

"Eddie, he has wings."

"I know. I was waiting to see if you would mention that."

"Eddie, I think these are our personal overseers. He's communicating with me. He told me not to ask him any questions, because he's not allowed to tell me anything."

"Why are they here?"

"I think it's to let us know that we're really not alone."

We sat in silence for about five minutes with the overseers standing at our sides. Suddenly, I realized that we needed to go soon. We had been traced to Orlando. "Eddie, we have to go."

"I know, but first we need to do something."

"What's that? We don't have a lot of time."

"I need to clip in to the hard drive on the server behind the office wall. I have to erase any video recordings of us."

We were afraid to move as long as the overseers were there, but we needed to get going. Eddie stood up and said that his overseer disappeared. I asked him to sit back down again to see if he reappeared. He eased back into the recliner, and his overseer reappeared, just as I suspected. It was like turning a corner and not being able to see someone. When Eddie stood up, he turned a corner, so to speak, in the fourth dimension causing his overseer to be unseen. They were always right around the corner.

Eddie went out to the car to get his tools and some ribbon cables. He returned wearing rubber gloves. He asked me to go around and wipe as many places that might have our fingerprints as I could think of while he worked on the server. Our prints were everywhere. I would have to go back into the tunnel and wipe our prints from the gates and possibly the wall where I fell. It seemed impossible. Nonetheless, he suggested that I start with the everyday activity prints and move outward from there. As I arose from the couch, my overseer faded from sight. I grabbed some paper towel and cleaner and went to work.

We wanted to leave while it was still dark, and we didn't have much time left. I packed as much food as possible to take along. The rest I had to put into trash bags to be dumped elsewhere. Our bags were packed, and I had wiped everything I could think of that we might have touched. Eddie had been able to connect the hard drive to his laptop and check the contents. He found the dated files from the past two weeks and erased them. He was such a whiz at that stuff. He also had disabled the cameras so that no video would be taken of us leaving the house.

7:00 AM

I called Evelyn and told her that I was heading home. She was elated, but I let her know that it was only temporary. We took one last look around to see if we had forgotten anything. All seemed clear, and we got into the car, drove down to the gate, and Eddie got out to punch the key code at the gate box to let us out. Once we were on our way, Eddie removed his rubber gloves and turned to me. "Adriel, I'm sorry I gave you such a hard time about driving, but now I'm really glad that we did. We have paid cash for everything on this trip, and it's not likely that we could be traced to Orlando. I'll take over driving in a couple of hours, and tonight you need to check in with the Prime Minister of India to see what's going on."

I was still sorry that he had forked out so much cash needlessly. He made me stop apologizing and reminded me that the cost wasn't as important as what we had learned. Eddie made sure that I was awake enough for him to take a nap. While he snoozed, I drove very carefully making sure that I didn't disobey any traffic laws. We couldn't afford to get a traffic ticket, and I wanted to play it as safe as possible.

10:30 PM

I had driven the last two hours of the trip and dropped Eddie off at his house along with the server. I couldn't wait to get home. Evelyn was waiting up for me, and the kids had all flown home. I hated to miss their visit, but I hoped that we had many future opportunities. At this point, I wasn't sure. I was exhausted and agreed with Evelyn that we would talk in the morning after a good night's sleep. She was taking Monday off of work, and I was relieved, because I really didn't want to be alone. As I lay in bed, I targeted the Prime Minister of India. This was far from over, and he was frustrated that I was still at large. He was concerned for what I knew and how much I might disclose. Things were in a holding pattern for now, but I wasn't sure how long that would last. The EMP wasn't the only card up his sleeve.
Monday, November 26, 5:15 AM

Suddenly, I was awake. Evelyn was lightly snoring. I lay on my back in the darkness, thankful that I was home. It felt so good to be in my own bed next to my wife. I soaked up the moment in my mind and took a mental snapshot to commit to my memory for future comfort. I knew this was temporary, but what in life isn't? I didn't want to disturb Evelyn, so I didn't get up yet. I needed to spend my time at home getting caught up on work and listening in to the leaders of the three countries to stay abreast of the situation. I also needed to investigate what India was planning, because my last flicker of enlightenment was that India was the focus, not Pakistan, due to my dream about ASTROSAT. I started bouncing around in the Indian government passing from one official to another to check for any pertinent information. The technicians had finally hit a dead end, and the trail was now cold due to Eddie's cleanup before we left.

7:00 AM

Evelyn had finally awakened, and I fixed us some breakfast. We were sitting at the kitchen table planning our day. I thought it would be best to call Eddie to see what he thought our next move was. I knew that he was relying on me to tell him what we needed to do. I supposed that made sense, since I was the one who instigated this whole thing.

9:00 AM

I dialed his number. "Good morning, Eddie! Do you have a few minutes."

"Sure, Adriel! I figured that you'd call sometime today."

"Well, I was wondering how and when we could set up the email configuration again."

"You know, Adriel, I've been thinking. In retrospect we may have configured this poorly. I realize that you wanted to capitalize on my email security package, which was nearly finished. However, as it turned out, it really jeopardized our position."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, since you can read minds, you really didn't need the return emails. The emails that you sent could have been dumped on their doorstep with no return address in the header and routed through some other server without detection."

"I think I follow you. So, they wouldn't be able to respond to me even if they wanted."

"Precisely! I'm not sure what they would think if they got an undeliverable message when they tried to respond, but you could craft your emails to elicit thoughts without requiring a response."

"That does sound a lot safer. That way we wouldn't have to rely on a remote location for your server."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far. I still think that I need to work from a remote location far from you, just in case they might somehow trace the origin of the email."

I knew "remote" meant near Angela in Idaho. "So, you're thinking of heading for Idaho. I get it."

"Well, as you may or may not know, Angela and I have been in touch on a regular basis, and I mentioned that I could spend some time in Boise near her for a while. I just thought it would be convenient."

"I have to admit that Evelyn will be thrilled that I don't need to leave home again. We would just have to stay in close contact during the email process. How is that supposed to work, by the way?"

"Well, I could set up a system where you could send me the email with the recipient's address, and I could forward it through a secure server to them."

"I see. We could either be on the phone or communicating through email at that time."

"That's right! We just need to coordinate with one another."

"I like that plan. I'll give it some more thought."

"OK, I'll talk to you later."

I got off the phone with Eddie and discussed his new idea with Evelyn. Her concern was that Eddie thought that his original plan was fool proof. How could he be so sure that I wouldn't get traced to our home? I explained that Eddie wasn't going to forward my actual email, but copy it and send an original from Idaho. As we talked, I realized that I could just have Eddie on the phone and tell him what to write. At any rate, nothing would be able to be traced back to my home. I was a little surprised to have Eddie sign up for such involvement, but I knew that he was looking forward to spending some time with Angela. I just didn't want to invade his thoughts on that, but like I said before, I can't pick and choose what to read. It's all right there.

9:45 AM

I spent some time getting caught up with the status at work. I let my manager know that I was back in town, but it didn't matter to him as long as I got my work done. I saw that there was a project coming my way in the next couple of days. Evelyn and I planned to spend the day together and wanted to make up for lost time. I let her know that I would need to be up late tonight to make my mental rounds and see what was happening in South Asia. She understood, but she was planning on going to work tomorrow and needed to get to bed at a decent time.

11:15 PM

It had been a wonderful day. As I lay in bed getting ready to focus on the situation in South Asia, the previous two weeks just seemed like a vivid dream. I felt the bump on my head, which was still sore at this point. It was a subtle reminder that what I had experienced was no dream. Evelyn had drifted off to sleep, and I decided to take a few moments to reflect on our day together. It's easy to take one another for granted. The daily rat race of life often numbs our emotions and preoccupies our minds with unimportant agendas that seem to demand so much of our attention. I recalled how relieved I was to see Evelyn when she came to my rescue in Orlando. I hated to watch her leave, but seeing the kids off to their homes after the holiday was essential for her, and I understood. I felt a closeness to her that I had long forgotten from our younger days. It was so good to be home in our own bed together. I felt so safe, and yet I knew that it was a false sense of security. I really didn't know to what extent the search for me had taken, because I didn't know who to focus on and couldn't direct their thoughts without having contact with them. I had a tendency to worry about things that never came to pass, so I tried to put this out of my mind. It was time for me to assess the situation in India. I had another surprise coming.
Tuesday, November 27, 12:00 AM

I found that trying to read the thoughts of others without the facility of directing them was like being strapped into a roller coaster and taken for a ride when you really had a destination in mind. I couldn't get people to focus. This caused a much more inefficient means of gathering information. It took longer to make contacts with others, and I was progressing at a snail's pace. I knew I wasn't going to last long before I dozed off to sleep, but I tried to stick with it, because I knew something had to be brewing. I started jumping from person to person within the repertoire of mental contacts that I knew. If I didn't hit pay dirt within thirty seconds, I moved on to another. I kept this up for about 45 minutes until I found something of interest.

The Prime Minister of India had just finished a conversation with the cabinet minister of defense. They had been discussing one of their latest developments that was being tested in the neuroscience lab. This intrigued me, and I had to jump from person to person again in a long, roundabout way to get to the scientists in the lab who were doing the testing.

2:15 AM

I had been fighting sleep, but once I found the scientists, I was wide awake. I was reading several thoughts at the same time and trying to keep things straight. The subject matter gave me cold chills, and Evelyn stopped snoring momentarily as I pulled the blanket up to my shoulders. One of the scientists was proofreading the protocol for the study, which had been ongoing for several years. In the early stages, subjects were connected to brain receptors that transferred waves to a software program. The subject was prompted to think of certain objects while the waves were recorded. Data were collected from thousands of clinical trial patients in multiple test sites. Over time, they were able to develop an artificial intelligence program that constructed thought processes from the brain waves. Brain transmitters were built that could read and generate brain waves to control simple devices, such as radios and smart phones. However, this clinical trial was not geared toward controlling devices.

Once they had successfully interpreted the brain waves, they could reverse the process by taking the stored data of thought combinations and transmit them to a subject. They were gaining success in the trials, and the goal was to train operatives to receive and transmit brain waves. The intention was to control a target victim's thinking process. Sessions were being developed with selected operatives who would undergo hours of data stimuli from the artificial intelligence software that transmitted brain waves. It was a training ground for mind control. There was measured success in some of the operatives who could read and transmit thoughts at a four-year-old level. Their intention was to create an army of mind control operatives who would invade countries as benign foreign workers in strategic positions. Indian contractors would be placed in positions to affect government, judicial, executive, finance, real estate, pharmaceuticals, defense, astrophysics, medicine, foreign trade, transportation, agriculture, cyber technology, and communications.

They had suffered some setbacks in the testing, which I was learning from one of the scientists who was reviewing the clinical trial data via a trending program that compared success over a ten year period. He had noticed a reasonable progression in success rates until a little over a year ago when failures became more prevalent. They couldn't account for the obvious increase in failures, but as I began to think about when it started, it seemed to coincide with the introduction of the virus, but I had no way of confirming that was the cause.

I was intrigued by the idea that they were trying to train operatives to read brain waves to teach a capability that was so natural in the prescendant state. We didn't read brain waves as prescendants, because we had no brains. Brain waves are produced from the thoughts that generate from the soul. In essence, they were taking thoughts from the soul that were converted to brain waves and trying to receive and transmit them from one person to another. This explained an aspect that I had not considered with my own ability. I was learning that brain waves aren't very powerful and don't travel great distances. The furthest distance that they had been able to achieve successful brain wave transmission was about ten feet away. I am able to read thoughts from anywhere in the world, because I wasn't reading brain waves. I was using soul communication that we all used as prescendants.

Another thing that I was considering about my own capability was the fact that I may be in close proximity to my mental subjects within another dimension. This is difficult to explain, but if two-dimensional beings existed on a ribbonlike plane that wrapped back and forth hundreds of times, then two beings on that plane at opposite ends of the ribbon would perceive themselves as being very far apart. However, someone in the third dimension would see across the ribbon folds and realize that the two beings on the ribbon were quite close to one another. Another example can be demonstrated with an object lesson. Take a wide piece of ribbon and cut it into a 12-inch length. Tape the two ends together to make a circle. Imagine two-dimensional beings traveling on the inside of the circle, and others traveling on the outside of the circle. Their universes don't intersect, but they are quite close to one another on opposite sides. Now disconnect one side of the ribbon from the tape, turn it over and reconnect it. You now have a circle with a half twist in it. You have just joined the two universes by inverting the plane at one point. Now you have one universe where two-dimensional beings can traverse, passing from the inside to the outside of the ribbon. When two beings are on opposite sides of the ribbon, they are very close when seen in the third dimension, but to them they are twelve inches apart, as they have to traverse the entire length of the ribbon in order to meet.

Until now, I hadn't considered that my ability to read minds may be due to opening a dimension to me of which I was previously unaware. I knew this one thing though. Something hadn't been given to me; an obstacle had been removed that allowed me to have this natural capability. When Eddie and I saw the overseers, at first I assumed that they had stepped into our dimension, but when Eddie arose from the recliner, the overseer vanished from his sight. That's why I had Eddie get back into the recliner. I wanted to see if the overseer would reappear, and he did. That told me that we were able to see into another dimension. I could have tested the theory with my own overseer by getting off of the couch, but having another subject relay his experience was far more objective, not to mention that I was scared half to death. The sheer power that the overseers exude is quite frightening.

It is so difficult to understand objectively what we experience. Our brains are quick to make assumptions, because our brains don't like unknowns. Our brains will connect dots that aren't there just to make sense out of something. I see this in impressionistic art. I love art museums, and it has always fascinated me to look at an impressionistic painting up close and then slowly step back to watch it come to life. My brain supplies details that actually don't exist within the painting. This is why you can take three witnesses to the same event who are standing next to one another and get three different accounts with alarming discrepancies. Perceptions vary, and each person's account of an event is subject to what the brain receives and interprets. In addition, the three witnesses do not all focus on the same aspect of the event at the same time.

I began to wonder if the Indian scientists would ever achieve brain transmissions beyond a four-year-old level. Interjecting thought relies upon the receiver's perception and ability to assimilate the thought. As prescendants, we never had such a problem. Although, Eddie and I did have others reject or ignore our ideas. Otherwise, how could we have established the 97% rule? Although, some may see this brain wave technology as being very advanced, I saw it as a useless attempt to recreate something that we already knew but had forgotten. I began to see the limits that they were placing on themselves by dabbling with feeble brain waves. There are no limits to science, but they were barking up the wrong tree. You can't take a train to the moon, and you wouldn't take a rocket to the grocery. How many centuries would it take for mankind to see that they continually shot themselves in the foot?

Most descendants rely upon speech to convey thoughts. Speech is such an infantile mode of communication. It depends on the command of the language being used and a common agreement as to syntax and connotation. It took Eddie and I years to learn to communicate in a fashion that would practically eliminate misunderstanding. We had developed our communication by carefully defining words and their usages within sentences. To this day, we still correct one another on rare occasion. I hate to hear someone say, "Well, you know what I mean." No, maybe I don't know what he means. Clear communication is essential, but it isn't one-sided. It takes the cooperation of communicating partners to ascertain true meaning. Few people communicate effectively. I was questioning if brain waves were a very effective mode of communication. I would love to listen in on the sender and the recipient of these waves, but so far all I had were investigator numbers, site numbers, and subject numbers, but no real names or identities of the clinical trial subjects.

There was a sinister aspect to their testing that disturbed me to a great degree. As prescendants, we shared thought. Never did we ever impose thought. In fact, I don't remember ever considering such a thing. It would be a violation of intrusion. Eddie had asked me about the fall of man that was recorded in the first book. I didn't remember the actual event, but as I lay here in the dark contemplating all of this, I do recall something alarming in my prescendant state. I told Eddie that the overseers provide some protection for us. As prescendants we weren't aware of any danger. However, as descendants we are constantly threatened on all sides, whether it's physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, or morally. Overseers do help clear our paths sometimes, but they don't eliminate circumstances due to our decisions. We suffer from our mistakes. However, there is a sinister aspect from the standpoint that descendants can be influenced in a negative manner by an overseer.

I was beginning to remember that not all overseers got along with one another. We never focused on that fact, because we didn't have any communication with them as prescendants. There were those that helped to protect descendants, and there were those that meddled with descendants by interjecting thoughts. Here is where I was beginning to draw the parallel between the clinical trial and the sinister thought intrusion by the overseers who caused trouble. I had forgotten about this. Have you ever experienced an invasive thought? I don't mean an epiphany or an original idea, but a nagging intrusion of thought that seemed irresistible. I knew that the first woman must have been deceived in such a manner. The voice was in her head. The voice had reason. Everything the voice said was true. She couldn't refute the voice. She succumbed, when it wasn't the voice that she should have heeded. Just because you can't refute something that sounds so true doesn't make it Truth.

Overseers that thwart the spiritual progress of descendants have been referred to as demons by some. I hated the terms angels and demons and many other misunderstood terms that people erroneously and blithely tossed around without understanding. Angel in the Greek text merely means messenger. Messengers aren't necessarily overseers. They can be descendants as well, because the term angel isn't definitive as to what realm the messenger belongs. I also hated the connotation assigned to demons by authors and cinematographers. I realized that a story played better with a scary aspect of an ugly spiritual being, but like most portrayals of the so-called spirit world, which is a misnomer simply because it refers to another dimension, demons do not actually appear as ugly. In fact, they appear quite the opposite.

Simple reasoning will support my premise. Is a woman attracted to the hunchback, Quasimodo, or to the characteristics of Prince Charming? I will only use the term demon in the following regard. As descendants, we suffer many things which potentially leave indelible scars on our souls and leave us feeling unloved, betrayed, or disillusioned. These scars can provide inroads to our souls if we don't resolve them. Demons use these inroads to influence us by invading our thoughts to relieve our pain by convincing us that we need to do certain things. These solutions offered by the demons often cause addictions, infidelity, betrayal, murder, and abandonment. The twisted reasoning accepted by the undiscerning descendant appears to have validity from the perspective of pain and desperation. In the case of those who do not have their souls trained by Truth and don't understand that if we treat anyone in a way that we would not want to be treated, or if anyone involved is affected in a way that we would not want for our own lives, then it is inherently wrong. Treating others as we want to be treated is good advice that goes a long way. However, in the case of misguided souls, even this rule breaks down, because they have no clear understanding of what is best without understanding the nature, will and character of their Creator. This is why Eddie and I have met for decades. We never stopped searching for Truth. This isn't to say that we don't make mistakes. However, one must recognize a mistake, learn from it, and not return to it.

5:15 AM

I tried to open my eyes, but they felt like they were glued shut. Evelyn had just gotten into the shower, and the sound of the water and the dim light filtering in from the bathroom were waking me up. What a night! I wanted to sleep in, but it was time to start the coffee and get breakfast underway. Evelyn usually left for work around 7:00, so we had breakfast at 6:00. I didn't have much time. I walked into my slippers and headed for the kitchen. After unloading and reloading the dishwasher, I cleaned out the coffee pot and started a full fresh pot of rich Colombian coffee that we both enjoyed so much. I whipped four eggs, sautéed onion, garlic and chopped zucchini, and then added oregano, French thyme, and basil. I mixed the eggs, vegetables, and some Parmesan cheese and poured it into an omelet pan.

During breakfast, I resisted the temptation to tell Evelyn what I had found, because I knew that once I started I would make her late for work, and traffic would be far worse the later that she left. I just mentioned that I had something to tell her when she got home after work. I needed to talk to Eddie, but I had decided to text him and ask if we could meet tomorrow night at the restaurant for our usual, weekly meeting. I still couldn't believe that so much had happened, and here we were back in familiar circumstances a few weeks later.

12:00 PM

I had started a new project at work. It wasn't very difficult, and I estimated that I would have it completed by the end of the day. Eddie and I were scheduled to meet tomorrow night at our usual spot. I had spent the earlier morning hours monitoring the dignitaries of the three countries. All were uncomfortable and apprehensive to have an operative at large who knew such intimate information about each of them. I was still the focus of their attention and still somewhat relieved that they weren't at odds with one another at this point. It was just a matter of time before I faded into the past, and they were up to their plotting and scheming. I was a bit disappointed that I had made Pakistan aware of the virus. The Prime Minister was ferreting out the origin and instigation of the virus, and I knew that eventually he would be successful where I was not allowed. I just needed to stay tuned; however, my focus was on India at this time.
Wednesday, November 28, 5:55 PM

Noriko was glad to see me. She asked how our meeting went out of town. Eddie had explained to her before we left that we needed to relocate elsewhere for a project that we were doing for someone else. She was a little surprised that I ordered a diet cola. I didn't feel like drinking alcohol, and Eddie and I had some serious things to consider. I mentioned the bruise that I noticed above her left eye. She laughed it off as clumsiness, but I knew better.

Eddie breezed through the door and put his laptop on his seat as he slid into the booth. "Hey, Adriel! Your text said that you had something to discuss."

"I do. Noriko is on her way over."

We waited until Noriko had taken our order to resume our talk. She had a lot of questions about where we had been, and I let Eddie handle most of the explanations. He was good at maneuvering a conversation, and I was afraid that I would say something wrong and cause suspicion. I was always amused at the stroke level that was established through communication. For example, if you pass someone in the hall at work and greet each other every day, and then one of you is out of the office for a week, the next time you come in contact with one another you are more likely to stop and talk for a minute until you catch up on the lost strokes over the previous week. That's exactly what was happening with Eddie and Noriko, so I knew that their conversation would last about ten minutes.

Once Noriko retreated with our order, I turned Eddie. "OK, now back to business. I think I'm making some progress, but I think there's still so much to find out. The more that I learn, it appears that the clandestine operations that are being conducted by various countries are more difficult to detect than previous means of warfare."

"I agree, Adriel. The virus and the EMP stations are far different from what we assumed we would find."

"How true, and now I have stumbled onto a mind control project that the Indian government is conducting with the purpose of infiltrating and controlling the countries of the world."

"You're kidding me! How do they intend to do that?"

"They have been training operatives for over a decade using artificial intelligence software to capture and transmit brain waves. They have graduated from using electrodes taped to the head to spanning distances of up to ten feet. Their goal is to infiltrate political and social circles of prominent countries to undermine their structure and take control."

"How close are they to accomplishing this?"

"Well, interestingly enough, it appears that the virus has caused some difficulty in their more recent tests. I can't verify that, but it only stands to reason, because I found that in the past year and a half they have had a higher percentage of trial failures than before. Besides, they are using puny brain waves as the means for mind control. I doubt that they will have much success."

"Well, it sounds like cutting edge stuff to me. I think it's interesting that a brown-eyed, dark-complected race has initiated this. I had seen on one of the programs that I watch that most of the scientific technology was developed by the blue-eyed, fair-complected race."

"That statement seems so racist, but a lot of it has to do with prescendants and their choices during negotiations. Incidentally, the mind control technology actually started with the Germans during World War II. They didn't have any measure of success, but the Indian technology is actually achieving some impressive results. However, they are still at a four-year-old level of communication, so they have a long way to go."

"Actually, Adriel, it doesn't surprise me that we're finding these things. When you consider the acts of terrorism and what headlines you see in the news on a weekly basis, it just doesn't make sense. The United States is considered to be the most powerful nation in the world, and yet they don't appear to be able to stamp out terrorism. Another thing that seems so unbelievable is that terrorism accomplishes nothing. It doesn't tear down a government or gain control of the people in any way. It's really absurd."

"I think the same way, Eddie. Terrorism and other sensational events are nothing more than a diversion, as we have discussed in the past. It's starting to make more sense to me now that I know what is really happening. I have been resisting my nagging curiosity to explore what the U. S. might have in development, and I try to focus on the pertinent matters. After all, I have never been led in the direction of the United States concerning a possible holocaust. I believe our government is an unconfessed oligarchy controlled by the affluent, influential nucleus of our nation. There is no way that they would allow, much less initiate, a global conflict of mass destruction. As distasteful as our founding fathers might consider the present state of affairs that depart from our Constitution, I am more relieved that the strings of politics and international negotiations are being controlled by those with vested interests to the tune of billions of dollars rather than the citizens who followed the 97% rule. Besides that, the majority of citizens are hypocrites in one fashion or another. They wave their flags, pledge allegiance, and turn right around and cheat on their taxes."

"Hold on, Adriel! You mean to tell me that you don't believe in the electoral process?"

"I suspicion that since the last assassination of the President, the reigning nucleus of this country is not going to leave the appointment of that office to the people. They have done an excellent job of continuing the sham of an election, because it is easy to hide the vote behind electoral tallying and the sliding of numbers from one candidate to another. What the citizens don't know won't hurt them. Besides, we have a far better chance of perpetuating our nation with good, informed decisions rather than leaving the outcome to the public, who are deceived by the outright lies of politicians. The powers are not rolling dice anymore, and I am in full favor."

"That's a little hard to swallow, Adriel. Have you confirmed this with your special powers."

"No, I haven't. As I said, I have to focus on more pertinent matters. I really don't have time to satisfy my idle curiosity. It's just a belief that I have held for decades. Speaking of more pertinent matters, I haven't been able to ascertain much concerning the condition of relations between Pakistan and India. In addition, I'm not sure what measures they are taking to find us. Without being able to direct thoughts, I am shooting in the dark. I just happened to stumble onto the mind control project."

Well, Adriel, if I were you, I would enjoy some down time. Once we get operational again soon, I think things are going to heat back up. At least we'll be safer with the new configuration. It's so much simpler this way.

I cut the evening short, because I wanted to get home to Evelyn. We had some breathing room, and I was grateful for that. I needed to do more research, and Eddie had plans of his own. Although I had left him to his thoughts, which I always preferred, I knew that he had been in regular touch with Angela. A romance was brewing, and I thought it was cute, however scary to a degree in light of our situation. Eddie had made plans to relocate to Idaho for an indefinite time to continue operations from there. I sat there wondering why we didn't consider such a move from the start, but I was the one who went off half cocked about a command center. Once again, hindsight is 20/20. I was still sorry about the expense in every regard, but I couldn't discount the fact that as much as it might have cost Eddie monetarily, he had found Angela. My mind rolled back to the event at the gate when they first met and how miraculous it all seemed to me.

We had our marching orders. Eddie was going to make the necessary preparations to temporarily move to Idaho, and I was going to continue to gather information and keep my fingers on the pulse of the global situation. For the first time in a long while, we got to catch up on newsworthy events and life in general. It was a relief to dial down the severity of our conversations. We spent the next several days carrying out our immediate plans. Evelyn and I were back to much of our usual lives, except for my late night explorations into the world of thoughts and discoveries.

## **CHAPTER SEVEN**

### **_Progress_**
Friday, December 14, 9:00 AM

Some considered the twelve days of Christmas to start today according to the commercial calendar. However, others traditionally regarded them to be after December 25th with a grand celebration of Three Kings Day on January 6th. I didn't particularly care for holidays. First of all, they weren't spontaneous. Secondly, they were obligatory as to dates and expectations, not to mention that they were nauseatingly misappropriations of pseudo-religious connotations that were so far from Truth. The only purpose I saw for them was a reason for families to carve time out of their busy schedules to convene and enjoy one another's company. However, many families found it a time to argue, resurrect grudges, and be thankful that the days were few and far between. My family felt quite the opposite. We treasured our time together but admittedly relied heavily on the holidays to make that time. Evelyn was already preparing for the kids to come home, and she had been decorating and planning, which kept her quite busy this time of year. As absurd as I found the celebration of Saturnalia, which was later designated as Christmas by the well known non-profit organization of old, I did however enjoy the tasteful festive decorations on which Evelyn insisted, except for that damned tree.

Eddie had made a preliminary trip to Idaho to visit Angela for a week. He scoped out the town of Boise and found a furnished apartment about a mile from Angela's house. He intended to rent a place to stay nearby where he could keep the computer server close to him. His purpose for living apart from Angela wasn't a concern for being located. Eddie wasn't the move-in type and had a more old fashioned principle of relationships. He was a wise man and avoided the pitfalls of diving into a romance headlong only to be disappointed and regretful later. He was waiting until after the holidays to make his move westward. I saw no immediate need to communicate with the eastern countries at this point, so I was at ease, and so was Eddie.

It had been a month since I threw a metaphorical stone into that water, and the ripples had died down considerably. I wasn't forgotten, and there was a noted element of fear resonating throughout the heads of state in all three countries, but my trail for them appeared to be cold, and I hadn't reared my ugly head lately. They were all wondering what someone with my knowledge was doing at this time, and if they knew my abilities, they would be more fearful. However, I wasn't the threat that they assumed. I had no aspirations of power or control. I merely wanted to thwart any possible threat of nuclear disaster as I was originally called to do. As much as they believed that I was their enemy, I was more of an ally.

My memory was still slowly coming back to me. Although I couldn't remember the email with the middle man, I had a vague recollection of standing in a dark hallway being terrified by a blind woman calling out to me. This wasn't a memory that I pursued, and I half way hoped that it was a bad dream. I wasn't sure at this point that following the virus was really important. Besides, I would be able to track it via the investigation of the Prime Minister in Pakistan if I stayed in tune. I had been monitoring that situation intermittently. The investigation was being hindered by operatives who were involved and didn't want the clandestine operation disclosed. There was a coup afoot, and they knew that it would mean certain death if they were discovered. I still didn't have the origin of the virus. What I didn't know at this point was that the virus was a precursor to something more nefarious.

I suspicioned that India had other developments in the defense department, but due to the fact that I wasn't able to direct thoughts via email, my progress was disappointingly slow. I realized that there was a reason for this, so rather than being frustrated, I took it in stride and spent the time in an inefficient search for more information. It was like panning for gold after striking a major vein underground. I was relying on bits and pieces to digest rather than a full bite of information that threatened to choke me. Although the choking aspect that I had experienced was exhausting and frightening, it was also exciting and not nearly as boring as my current activity. As always, there's a plus and a minus to everything. I was trying to enjoy the pluses and learn from the minuses.

I spent the rest of my day following my routine. I had three projects at work and dinner to plan for the evening. I was finding great comfort in the mundane aspects of my life which provided an assumed predictability, although I knew that to be an illusion. Anything could happen at any time, but I was ignoring that possibility to provide some relief from a chaotic few weeks that I couldn't get out of my head.
Monday, December 17, 9:30 AM

I had been curious for some time about the owners of the Orlando house and the $50 million contract out on me. Eddie and I had disappeared from sight. No progress had been made in tracking us, and at this point the powers that sought us were relying on any helpful information that they might receive from anyone who saw anything suspicious. The owners of the house were back in Orlando. They were dumbfounded as to why they had no recordings while Eddie and I occupied the premises. They suspicioned foul play but could find no signs. Eddie did an excellent job of erasing all of the recordings without damaging anything or leaving telltale signs. So far, everything appeared to be safe on that end.

I did stumble onto a conversation that they had with their blind daughter. She recounted an incident where a man had broken into the house. She had surprised him in the second floor hall, and he fled through the front door. She called the police but couldn't verify if anything had been taken. I recalled my dream about being frightened in a dark hallway. At least I thought it was a dream. My memory from that night had still not completely returned to me. Unbeknownst to me, there were cameras in the house, and the intruder had been recorded. However, the recordings showed shadows and outlines, but it was too dark to get any decent description other than height or weight estimates.

The owners of the house that Eddie and I had occupied had talked with the next door neighbors, who never met Eddie or myself. However, they did recount Angela's story about her date with Eddie. At least they had verification that someone had occupied their residence at that time. They still had no description, and Eddie had removed his email account before we ever left the house, so there was no way to contact him. The neighbor did make a call to Angela, her sister, but Angela was discreet. By then she knew that Eddie didn't want his presence known, and she dismissed her sister's questioning. I was greatly relieved, because I had spent a considerable amount of time worrying about that loose end. I was just hoping that if things got serious between Eddie and Angela that there wouldn't be a connection between him and the man she dated in Orlando. OK, I wasn't as relieved as I hoped. I couldn't help but think about the fact that before we left for Orlando Eddie was more concerned about me blowing our cover while we were there. It was he who held the loose end in his hand with his relationship with Angela. I still had a bad feeling about everything, but I couldn't substantiate my concern with any facts. Somehow, I just knew that we weren't quite entirely free and clear yet.

As often as I had monitored the thoughts of the officials in Pakistan and India who were involved in the initial search for the mystery emailer, I had yet to find any concern for progress made on their part. In fact, the subject was alarmingly absent from any thoughts that I could find. Unfortunately, I hadn't followed up with the American counterparts. Ignorance may be bliss, but it can be fatal as well.
Thursday, December 20, 10:00 AM

Today was my customary day to do Christmas shopping. I always waited until nearly the last minute hoping to snag those late holiday sales. It got a little scary sometimes, because I never knew what I would find, but it seemed to work out every year. You would think that being able to read minds was a great way to know what to buy, but this year I really didn't need to do that. Besides, the last two people in this world whom I would want to read their minds are my children. That's just too scary at many levels.

Evelyn named our son and daughter. She claimed that she was descended from English royalty through some relationship twice removed on her mother's side. I had to look up the reference to "removed", because I thought she was fabricating the whole story. Although it can't be proven, I have always accepted that I was somehow married into the royal family of sorts. Our firstborn, Charles, whom we often refer to as Charlie, was born two years before our daughter Margaret, whom we agreed to call Maggie.

I wondered what my ancestors would think of me marrying into English royalty, since we were from France. My great grandfather had claimed that he was part of the Black Musketeers, who guarded Louis XVI until the king disbanded them for a lack of funds. I also heard that he always blamed Marie Antoinette for the empty coffers. I guess it wasn't such a great idea for the king to dismiss the men who guarded him just before the Revolution. It was customary in my family long ago that the men would wait until the age of retirement, which was over seventy at that time, before they took a young wife. It wasn't unusual to see a seventy-five year old, retired Chevalier with an eighteen year old bride. The word was that my forefathers believed if they married a young woman and had several children, it would keep them feeling young and virile. Apparently, this tradition ended with my father, who married my mother at the age of forty-five. At any rate, it made a colorful family story.

Charlie was an electrical engineer, who designed micro processors for a computer company in Los Angeles. He had landed that job right out of college, and it broke Evelyn's heart when he moved away from our area. Maggie was an epidemiologist, who worked for a pharmaceutical firm in New Jersey. Once again, another heartbreak for Evelyn when Maggie was recruited just before she received her doctorate degree. Although Evelyn was extremely proud of our children and wanted the best for them, it was still hard for her to accept that they were so far away. The children always flew home for the holidays, because we were located in the Midwest, so they met at our place in the middle. Evelyn and I weren't grandparents yet, but Evelyn had high hopes. I, on the other hand, was apprehensive about having young children growing up in today's world.

I had just finished ordering my selected Christmas presents. I knew that Charlie and his wife, Heather, had been entertaining the idea of taking up the sport of snow skiing. I personally didn't understand why someone would want to spend time in the cold weather, but that was their choice. I researched what the new skier would need to outfit him for the slopes, and then I promptly ordered all of the equipment for them both to be delivered to their house in California after they returned home from the holiday. Maggie and her husband, Jason, had toyed with the idea of learning to play golf, so I ordered them each a set of clubs with a paid membership for one year at a golf club near their home. If it weren't for the fact that Maggie was left handed and Jason was right handed, I probably would have suggested that they share clubs. Normally Evelyn didn't like it when I spent much money, but when it came to the kids, she didn't mind at all. Anyway, I figured that if Charlie and Heather didn't like skiing, and Maggie and Jason didn't like golfing, the next Christmas they could just swap gifts, and we could call it even. I really wasn't worried about the cost. I figured it didn't matter much if the northern hemisphere were to be reduced to toast in the next few months anyway.

Evelyn was tired of the cliche gifts of jewelry, which in the past were easy to select. This year I was complementing the equipment that we had in the gymnasium in our basement and buying a fifty two inch flat screen television to mount on the wall with a subscription to the Fitness Channel. That way Evelyn could choose from hundreds of various types of workout routines without getting bored. I also purchased six workout outfits for her, which had to be placed on back order. Apparently, small is a very popular size among the exercise crowd. Go figure. She stood five feet and one inch tall and barely weighed one hundred pounds. She really enjoyed her workouts and encouraged me to stay in shape as well. The basement gym made it convenient to exercise, especially in the winter, without having to leave the house.

The kids were flying in tomorrow afternoon, and Evelyn was taking off of work until the turn of the year. She warned me that they wanted to know all about my secret government mission. I instructed her to inform them that I would deny any knowledge of such a thing, and that they shouldn't waste their time. I just hoped that something didn't pop up during the holidays that would require my immediate attention.

Evelyn's interests largely centered around our children. She was the best mother for our children that I could imagine. She always took two weeks each quarter to visit them since she had a considerable amount of vacation time to use. I didn't like to fly, so I always held down the fort at home. Besides, it gave me more time to get a lot of my projects done while she was away. It amazed me how productive I could be when I had all of my time to myself. I wasn't one to lie around and waste time. Don't get me wrong, I had times to relax and kick back, but I was incredibly productive on a daily basis. In fact, I never found enough time to enjoy all of my hobbies, which included oil painting, writing music, gardening, foreign language, woodworking, and writing poetry.
Christmas Eve, Monday, December 24, 4:00 PM

I had made little progress in learning much else concerning pertinent world events. I found my inability to control thoughts very frustrating, and I was becoming less diligent to search for additional information. At this point, I was merely monitoring any possible upheavals that needed my attention, but then again, what could I do? I was out of touch without email, and it seemed rather moot for me to do much of anything. I knew this wouldn't last long. Eddie was scheduled to relocate to Idaho on January 4th. It would be a short time before I stirred things up again, but I wanted to be careful to initiate thought, not fear or suspicion. I needed to appear as benign as possible, because generating alarm would put us all back in danger again.

As I analyzed the time that Eddie and I spent in Orlando, I had to appreciate that bringing the three countries into negotiations did somehow slow down the process that had already begun toward a world crisis. The virus was now a known commodity as well as the EMP. The threat of nuclear war was now in the forefront of everyone's mind. It wasn't just conceptual, but a possible and somewhat likely reality. I had made some good contacts and had a considerable base from which to draw knowledge when things heated up again. I had some possible leads on scientific advancement and paths to follow once the highways of thought were directed where I wanted them.

I was still unsure of how I would prevent nuclear war. I knew that the crisis hadn't been averted yet, only postponed. I was also unsure of how I would know when my mission was truly complete. I supposed that would be answered once I knew how to do it. I was nervous that this wasn't over yet. I realized just how fast things could spin out of control, and as complacent as I felt at the moment, I knew within hours I could be in an emotional tailspin, fearing for my life by some unforeseen happenstance. I was getting nowhere with this line of thinking and decided to concentrate on the holiday.

The kids were home, and as much as they were dying to discuss my government mission, I had to insist that it never happened, and that we should leave it at that. I set my focus on the six pound prime rib that I needed to prepare for our dinner. The homemade dinner rolls had risen overnight in the refrigerator, and I had just put them on the kitchen counter for the last rise. The beef broth had been reduced in a saucepan, and I was creating a roux with some European butter and flour to make a delicious gravy with some of the broth for the garlic mashed potatoes. The remainder would be reduced to a flavorful au jus for the prime rib. There was a horseradish sauce chilling in the refrigerator for the prime rib as well. The kids had chosen steamed broccoli as our vegetable. Everything was on target for dinner at 7:00 this evening. I fully intended to remove my mission from my mind and thoroughly enjoy my family and our dinner. The kids were a little surprised that I wasn't drinking wine, but by now I had lost my taste for alcohol, and I didn't want to be caught at a disadvantage. I think watching the effects of the virus and the alcohol at the peace talk in Geneva left an indelible mark on my impression of poor judgment.
Friday, January 4, 7:30 PM

The holidays had been a nice respite to my harrowing life. Evelyn enjoyed having the kids home for the holidays. We played games, went to the movies, and enjoyed cooking and eating together. It proved to be just what I needed to clear my head and remember the more important aspects of life. We hated to see them fly out, and Evelyn always cried for at least a day afterward. I was sorry to see them go too, but I had learned to keep myself busy and concentrate on work or other tasks that I needed to do. We had gotten back to our daily routine, and the post-holiday blues were in full swing.

After Evelyn and I had finished dinner, I gave Eddie a call. He had moved into his furnished apartment in Boise and was within a brisk walk from Angela. She, of course, was elated to have him there, and I was glad that they both were truly happy. Eddie had found a great girl. There I went again with the whole girl thing. She was a wonderful woman. Eddie had chosen to disclose an abbreviated version of our mission to Angela. In fact, it was so abbreviated I wondered if he had described our mission or someone else's. No matter! The less we disclosed, the better. She did, however, learn his real name with a clear understanding of his need for anonymity. Eddie knew that he was completely upside down on the clock with India, which could prove to be a problem if Angela planned to spend evenings together with him. He briefly explained some of his responsibilities and that having afternoon encounters with her would be more plausible. She really didn't care as long as they could get more acquainted and build a relationship. She didn't actually say that, but I heard it.

Eddie had a stroke of genius. He had developed a program that allowed him to edit the sender and recipient in the email headers. This would allow him to fabricate the forwarded email to look like it came from someone else. All I had to do was give him the sender's and recipient's email addresses, and he would plug in the parameters so that whenever the email arrived at the recipient's inbox it would look like it came from whomever I designated. I could then fabricate email as though it came from the same office within the government. I broke out laughing with delight when he explained this to me. I constructed a list of over 200 email addresses that I sent to him which he could designate as sender/recipient addresses. Not only would they be unable to track me, in many instances they wouldn't even think it was necessary. I could now pose as anyone within the government agencies as long as I knew the email addresses. Oh, how I wished we had thought of that two months ago. However, I was discounting the advantage of the fear factor that I leveraged against the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Then again, was it that useful? It was still too early to tell. It did beef up my arsenal of email addresses.

I had to admit that I was getting nervous again about re-engaging in email activity. I felt that we were much more vulnerable than we had been before, but Eddie kept assuring me that there was nothing to trace back to us. He was the only person I would trust with something this dangerous. He was concentrating on creating a menu driven point-and-click routine that would make it easier to input the parameters into the email header. We agreed that I needed to establish a plan to find out what I needed to know to disarm the nuclear threat. I knew that we had to be getting closer, but how close I didn't know.

10:00 PM

Evelyn had just drifted off to sleep. I lay on my back in the darkness planning what my next move was. I decided to use a two-pronged approach. I had been originally led to Pakistan because of the virus, so I decided that I needed to follow up on their research and where the virus originated. I was also led to India via the dream about ASTROSAT, and I needed to explore what they were doing in addition to the mind control laboratory. I had already given Eddie the lists, and he could quickly add to them as I learned more email addresses. The last time I felt like I was shooting fish in a barrel, it turned into a nightmare. I wasn't going to let myself feel that way again. As reluctant as I was to get started, I knew that I had to jump in with both feet. We would begin Sunday night at 11:00 in my time zone when the week started in South Asia.

I began thinking of the meddling overseer that told me that the virus was a hoax. I hadn't received any other direction since the dream. I was hoping that I was on the right track, but unless I learned differently, I wasn't changing my course. As I was starting to drift off to sleep, I found myself in that place where you know you're not awake, but somehow you are very aware. I don't normally spend much time in that state, because I usually pass right on through to sleep. However, this night was different. I was not asleep and not awake. Someone was approaching me. He didn't appear to be an overseer from my previous experience. He was someone much like myself. In fact, if I didn't know better I would think it was me, but how could it be? All of a sudden I noticed that we were attached. There was an umbilical cord from my navel to his, and it was a glowing silver color. He was holding a golden bowl tightly as though it contained something precious. I tried to look into the bowl, but he wouldn't let me see what was in it. He looked right into my eyes, and it was like looking into a mirror only different, because his eyes contained something more, a different perspective perhaps. It was hard to relate, because although he looked like me, I knew that he wasn't identical to me. It was almost like he was the reciprocal of me. He had no expression on his face, but he kept staring into my eyes, and he never blinked. His nose was now practically touching mine. I tried to read his mind, but I drew a blank.
Saturday, January 5, 7:00 AM

Evelyn and I slept in this morning. We were enjoying being lazy and not having to go anywhere or do anything. I tried to tell her about my experience last night that I had when I was falling asleep. She playfully blew it off as a vivid dream. I wasn't so sure. I still couldn't get those eyes out of my mind. He sure looked like me, but he couldn't have been. He knew far more than I do, but he wasn't telling. Those eyes! Those staring, unblinking eyes! I couldn't get them out of my head. It gave me cold chills just to think about them. Oh well, I've had stranger experiences.

I spent part of the morning bringing Evelyn up to speed about my plan. She was extremely worried when I told her that I would be emailing again tomorrow night after she went to bed. She recalled the emails that we both read when she had visited me in Orlando. I tried to explain that they wouldn't be anywhere near the same as what she saw. Instead, they would appear to be coming from government aides and personnel within their own agencies. The emails were untraceable. In fact, the recipients couldn't even respond to them. They were engineered to be dead end emails to provoke thoughts that I designated in order to learn more. It didn't matter how much I explained, she was worried sick.

I sent Eddie the itinerary for tomorrow night's emails. I had constructed the subjects, messages, recipients, and senders. He would have time to assemble the emails and send them at my direction. All I had to do then was read the minds of the recipients and hop from person to person. I would have to send more addresses and emails to him as I learned who my additional targets were, but he was ready for that as well. Once again, our hammer was cocked and our finger was on the trigger. I was ready for some answers.

Eddie was interested in my experience last night with the eyes that didn't blink. He also thought that it was most likely a dream. It didn't seem to hold any real significance. The person didn't communicate with me, so he didn't think there was anything to learn from it. He was intrigued by the silver cord and the golden bowl though. He also wondered what was in the bowl that was so important that I couldn't see. Of course, after his encounter with his overseer he wasn't too anxious to assume this really meant nothing. Everything seemed so cryptic. We never got any real definitive answers, just inexplicable experiences.

I began wondering if perhaps a prescendant had tried to contact me. I had never heard of such a thing, so I rather doubted that's who it was. I tried to remember the significant things as though it were a dream. How did it make me feel? It was a little spooky, but it didn't really evoke an emotion. It was tied to me very intimately as with an umbilical cord. I was sure that was significant. Somehow, we're related. He looked like me, so once again, related. The golden bowl was a mystery. It was a secret; that's all I know. If I couldn't make heads or tails out of it, what was the use? Maybe it really was one of those nonsensical dreams that I had when I first started falling asleep.
Sunday, January 6, 11:30 PM

Evelyn had been asleep for about an hour. I was in the kitchen where I usually do my work. I had the laptop ready that Eddie had given me, and I was connected to his server in Idaho. We were emailing back and forth to get coordinated and ready for another round. However, this time I intended for it to be a lot different. We reviewed the emails, and I changed the sequence that I had originally sent him. I wanted to start with Pakistan first to see if I could make any progress with the virus origin. I was focusing on a contact that had communicated with the Prime Minister concerning the virus operation investigation. I knew that he was hiding something, so I thought he would be a good place to start. I had Eddie send him an email from an agent that I knew he was familiar. I was concentrating on him, and he was in a position to receive the email. Eddie sent it off, and I listened in.

The email asked if he had divulged any information about the recent inquiry that generated from the Prime Minister's office. I was careful not to mention the virus. Eddie felt like he was in the dark being in Idaho rather than by my side where I could give him a play by play update. I tried to keep him informed through email whenever I had anything significant to relate. Apparently, I used the wrong sender address, because the agent was confused how the sender knew about the inquiry. Nonetheless, once he got past the confusion aspect, he was on the thought lines of the virus. I could tell that he was nervous about someone asking questions. He had hoped that his involvement would be considered a dead end. He wasn't going to respond to the email, and it wouldn't do him any good. However, I was relieved, because then he wouldn't be alarmed when he received the undelivered response due to the bogus email header. I was just about to move on to another contact when, Bingo! I had the lab location.

I emailed Eddie to tell him that I knew the location of the lab. I was now trying to locate a contact within that lab, which was going to cost me several more emails. This was going to take some time, and I warned Eddie that I needed possibly a couple of hours to select my targets and craft the emails. However, it didn't take that much time, and he was on standby, sleeping on his couch. I had to call him on his phone. Once I had him at attention again, we sent more emails and followed the trail to the lab where I finally connected with a lab technician. I hadn't emailed the lab technician yet, because I was monitoring her thoughts. She was involved in a virus validation process to select a test field. I doubted that this was the same virus, because that virus was way past the test stage. I didn't know what the attributes were, so I had Eddie send her an email from the Director General of Military Operations asking for a brief synopsis in twenty five words or less of the virus that she was currently assigned. That's all I needed. Her name was Sahar, and she was so flustered from the email that I had to weed through all of her emotional thoughts. She finally reviewed the protocol and the design documents which were pay dirt to me. This was a doozie! I emailed Eddie and told him to sit tight. 
Monday, January 7, 1:35 AM

I was getting an education by listening to Sahar review the protocol for the virus. She had been assigned to establish a test population. This was far more sensitive than the other virus which impaired good judgment. A control population was necessary that would give sufficient evidence of the efficacy of this neurological virus, but the effects could prove to be irreversible, leaving the test subjects with a serious debility. Unlike the judgment virus, which spread much like influenza, this virus was contracted by bodily fluid exchange, especially blood, similar to Ebola or HIV. This made targeting specific populations much easier without as much concern for an epidemic or outbreak.

Finding willing subjects would be difficult if the risks were disclosed. The effects of the virus could destroy the quality of life to the point where the infected person may be left to languish in a nursing home, which are few in Pakistan due to the reluctance of the Muslim population to recognize the need for elderly care. This led to the idea of selecting prisoners who were sentenced to life without parole. A key demographic factor in the test population was that the subjects had to be less than thirty years of age. The test procedure would be conducted as a double blind trial whereby placebos would be administered to half of the subjects without the knowledge of the subject or the investigator. Results were to be reported objectively without having information of what symptoms the virus produced.

While I was reading Sahar's thoughts, I learned what had greatly frustrated her about the Director General of Military Operations inquiring about the virus. This virus was linked to the same clandestine operation as the poor judgment virus. As I had learned previously, there was a coup being planned, and this virus was an integral part of that plan. Down through the ages, kings and leaders were assassinated in the interest of gaining control of a country or a kingdom. These assassinations were rarely unnoticed or without suspicion. There were cases, as in Alexander the Great, that left many wondering if the death of the leader were murder or natural causes. Death always raised yellow or red flags. However, these days it was far more advantageous to disable someone due to seemingly natural causes rather than to cause a death and a resulting investigation.

Increasing numbers of patients under sixty-five years of age were contracting Alzheimer's disease throughout the world. Who would suspect that an onset of Alzheimer's disease was caused by a sinister infection of a virus? The engineers of this virus set their focus on a disease that would greatly atrophy the hippocampus which is located under the cerebral cortex of the brain. This shrinkage of the hippocampus would occur within the first forty-eight hours of contracting the virus, and noticeable symptoms would be seen within one to three weeks. The hippocampus is responsible for establishing long term memory. With a disabled hippocampus, victims would appear to have contracted Alzheimer's with an accelerated onset. Rather than suspicion a hostile attack, it would seem that the victim had contracted some type of Alzheimer's-like disease.

So, who were the targets for this debilitating virus? Sahar made a call to her supervisor before responding to the email. During the conversation, she was instructed not to make any responses, and her supervisor would follow up on the inquiry. I now had another contact to follow. I jotted his name down on my writing pad and followed his thoughts. He made two calls to aides within military operations. I was interested in the fact that these two aides actually worked for him in another capacity. The aides had infiltrated military operations and were members of the group that would execute the coup to take control of Pakistan. Sahar's supervisor then made another call that caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand up. I had finally reached someone of great significance. I froze.

I knew Eddie would be asleep. I needed to bring him up to date on what I had found, but I wasn't sure how to explain it. There was something very familiar about the last person in the chain that I followed. I had disengaged, because I needed some time to think. I started to sweat. There was something very different about this man, and I couldn't quite determine what it was. I left the laptop on the kitchen table and moved into the living room. I paced for some time trying to remember where I had seen this man. I was getting really tired and decided to lie down on the couch. I really didn't want to fall asleep, but I felt powerless. I was drifting off.

Something caught my attention. I thought I was dreaming. Maybe I was. I saw a glowing, silver cord streaming from my navel. It had a floating motion as though it were underwater. I could see that there was something inside the cord that was flowing to and from me. It wasn't fluid as in a normal umbilical cord. It was something else that didn't seem to have real substance. Finally, I realized that they were thoughts. I began to wonder if this was how I received everyone's thoughts. Were they coming through the silver umbilical cord? If I were dreaming, then what did this silver cord signify? Umbilical cords are the lifeline for unborn babies. Is my situation likened to being in a womb and nurtured by whatever is on the other end of this silver cord? Am I being developed for some type of birth from this earthly realm? It did make some sense, but I wasn't sure that I was interpreting this correctly.

3:13 AM

Suddenly I awoke. I was being shaken. Evelyn had come into the living room to wake me. She said that she awoke to the sound of me talking to someone. After she entered the living room and saw me on the couch, she realized that I was talking in my sleep. She asked me to come to bed. I made a quick mental check for Eddie, and he was fast asleep. My updates could wait until morning. I sleepily followed Evelyn to bed and slept soundly until she got up for her morning shower.

5:12 AM

I knew that I needed to get up and start breakfast. Evelyn would have let me sleep in, but I didn't want her delayed for work due to making her own breakfast. It would have to be simple, so I opted for coffee, scrambled eggs with cheese, and bacon. She asked about my night while we were enjoying breakfast together. I told her it was profitable, scary and weird. I left it at that. Besides, given what she already knew, I was sure that she really didn't want any details. I logged on to work to check for any assignments. It was too early. I would need to check back around noon. I decided to go back to bed while Evelyn finished getting ready for work. She woke me to kiss me goodbye, and then I turned over and went straight back to sleep.

9:30 AM

The extra sleep helped immensely. I detected that Eddie was up in Idaho, so I decided to give him a call after making another pot of coffee. He was surprised that I let him sleep last night. He was expecting to send more emails out for me, but I explained that I had some measure of success and wanted to update him on the latest details. He was eager to hear what I had found. I explained about Sahar and her involvement in a new virus. Luckily, she had decided to read the protocol which gave me the details. Much of it I didn't understand, but I was able to relate to Eddie the gist of the symptoms which were similar to Alzheimer's. Eddie was curious as to the intention for the virus. We discussed the clandestine group that was planning to take control of Pakistan. It seemed rather obvious to us that the virus was to be used to disable key personnel to make it easier to usurp authority.

I also explained about the two operatives who had infiltrated the military operations to gain position in preparation for the coup. I had no idea how many of these infiltrators they had in place throughout the government, but I was relatively certain that there were many, many more. Sahar's supervisor had only contacted two within the military operations, because that's where she thought the email originated. At that point, everyone became suspicious, because if the Director General had wind of this, then their operation had been compromised. I was sorry that I had chosen his identity as the sender of the email, but what was done was done. At least they weren't in a panic. Instead, they were carefully verifying any unwanted knowledge about their plans.

When I got to the part about the character of great significance, Eddie perked up. "So, who is this guy that you say has great significance? Is he the kingpin of the whole operation?"

"Well, I'm rather certain that he is. He's so different from anyone else."

"In what way? What's his position?"

"Well, first of all, I think that you and I may have known him prior to our descent, but I'm not able to pinpoint him yet. After all, we met countless millions."

"So, what's his name? Do you have his email address?"

"Actually, I can't tell you his name. I can't email him either. I have never encountered anyone like this. He's like a black hole amongst everyone else. It's really hard to explain."

"Wait a minute, Adriel. You've always been able to identify anyone and get thoughts and email addresses. What's so different about this guy?"

"I can't read his thoughts, Eddie. I can detect who he contacts, and I can read their thoughts, but not his."

"Interesting! Are you saying that this has never happened with anyone else?"

"Never! Everyone has been an open book to me except for this guy."

"Do you have any idea why?"

"I have no clue at this point. I just know that when Sahar's supervisor contacted him, I got cold chills. A black hole is the best I can explain it. I know he's there, but he's invisible to me."

"Whoa! This doesn't sound good, Adriel. If you can't read what he's thinking then this could be serious. At least you can read everyone else's mind around him, right?"

"So far, it seems that I can. This guy is really spooky, Eddie. I know that we know him, and I will need some time, but eventually I'll figure it out."

"Let's hope it sheds some light on him when you do."

After I got off of the phone with Eddie I started pacing the living room again trying to place where I had met this mystery man before. He appeared to be the most significant person in the whole plot. I was beginning to think that he alone might be responsible for the threat of nuclear war, but I couldn't be sure at this point. I was racking my brain trying to remember where I met him. The more I thought, the harder it seemed to remember. I decided to change my activity and concentrated on my job. I did get assigned two projects which would occupy my mind for a while.

4:00 PM

Evelyn would be home around 5:15. I decided to prepare some flounder in a butter cream sauce with garlic and capers. There was a rich chicken stock in the refrigerator that could be used as a base for the cream sauce. A large combination salad would go well with it. It was important to keep dinner light tonight. I didn't want anything heavy weighing on me when I knew that I had to stay up late again to monitor whatever contacts I could get to Mr. Creepy.

Just thinking of this guy made me shudder, and frankly, as disconcerting as it was that I couldn't read his thoughts, I was half glad, because I had no idea what they might be. I was still very confused as to why this guy seemed to be off limits for me. Whoever was providing me with the thoughts of others was not allowing me to read this guy. It seemed illogical. Why bring me all this way to the one person that I need to read only to leave me hanging? I wasn't going to solve this mystery soon, so I decided to concentrate on my evening with Evelyn.

We enjoyed dinner and relaxed in the living room to talk about our work day. It was convenient that we had similar professions. That way we were able to relate to one another's frustrations and talk shop when we needed. We settled into bed to watch the nightly news on television, and I was already getting sleepy. It was tempting to set my alarm for 11:30, but I was afraid that it would disturb Evelyn, and she needed a good night's sleep. I made it through the news and then slept through the next two programs that she chose to watch. I finally woke up when she started getting ready for bed.

10:10 PM

I tried to clear my head, because I really needed to get some mind work done tonight. Evelyn climbed into bed, and I kissed her goodnight. I lay on my back in the dark trying to locate the mystery man. It was so strange. I could never find him, but if he were in contact with someone, I could read that person's thoughts with no problem. At the moment, all was quiet, so I just tried to rest.
Tuesday, January 8, 12:30 AM

My cell phone was buzzing. Eddie had been trying to reach me for over half an hour. I apologized and explained that I had fallen asleep. He asked if I needed to send out some emails. I was trying to think if I had anyone that I needed to contact to jog any thoughts, but I came up blank. I gave him the night off. I decided to lie there and see if I could make any contacts to anyone communicating with my mystery man. There were several, but most of them were of no interest to me until he apparently wanted a report from one of his henchmen about the infiltration operations.

Sajid was in charge of managing the infiltrations to several agencies and countries. Although I couldn't read my mystery man, I could read Sajid clearly. He had delegated much of his work to appointed managers in several realms. This began to stagger my mind. He was giving a high level report about the various operatives that he had in place around the world, not just in Pakistan. I was shocked. I grabbed a notebook and a pen and began to write as fast as I could.

Sajid had utilized the judgment virus to gain access to several government agencies in various countries. He had first infiltrated his own nation's government by placing operatives in positions ranging from janitorial staff to government aides who worked closely with or near influential officials. In addition to Pakistan, he had people in the Russian Federation, British Empire, United States, France, Germany, India, and China. He had several operatives stationed in nuclear facilities in Pakistan and India. He had assigned his India manager to the infiltration of the EMP warfare personnel as well as the the mind control project. His groups were spreading throughout the world like a cancer while the world was distracted by terrorist bombings.

I could tell from Sajid's thoughts that the mystery man was very interested in his infiltration operations, and Sajid gave him the names of all of his appointed managers. Sajid was beaming due to the acclaim from his superior, whom I still couldn't place in my memory. Although I couldn't read the mystery man's thoughts, I could still track whomever he conversed with or contacted. After his lengthy conversation with Sajid, he made another interesting phone call. As soon as his contact answered the phone, my memory was shocked back to life. It was the middle man whom I had forgotten after I hit my head.

I was now beginning to think that I had made the full circle, and I listened to see what the middle man was hearing. He was receiving an order. I started shaking uncontrollably. The middle man had just gotten an order for an assassin to remove Sajid from his employment with the mystery man. Two assassins were directed to gather Sajid's parents, wife, brothers, sisters, and children into Sajid's house before dawn on Sunday. The assassins were to force Sajid's family to watch him beheaded by one of the assassins. The family was to bury Sajid and keep the matter quiet, or they too would meet the same fate. I remembered the ruthlessness of the middle man, but he in no way compared to my mystery man, who was a black hole of a human being.

4:00 AM

I couldn't stop shaking. I had been inside the thoughts of so many people, but the pure evil that I read from the middle man was more than I could bear. I had to call Eddie. There was no way I could discuss any of this with Evelyn. I dialed Eddie's cell number.

"Hey, Adriel! What's up?" Eddie was a little groggy from sleep.

"Eddie! I just stumbled onto something horrible, and the more that I think about it, I'm afraid that I'm responsible for a man's death."

"Whoa! Slow down, Adriel. Start from the beginning. You haven't been sending emails tonight, so what makes you think you're responsible for someone's death?

I recounted the story of Sajid and the mystery man, and how Sajid was responsible for the infiltrations of the agencies in the different countries. I then connected the email to Sahar in the lab from the Director General of Military Operations with the fact that Sahar's supervisor had called the mystery man about a possible leak. I was thinking that Sajid might be blamed for an intelligence leak concerning the coup. I then explained to Eddie what the plan was to remove Sajid. If I hadn't used the Director General as the sender of the email to Sahar, then the order to assassinate Sajid would probably never have happened.

"OK, Adriel! I follow your reasoning, but you have no way of knowing what the mystery man is thinking from what you told me. Without knowing his thoughts, you can't just assume that he intends to kill this guy because the lab technician received an email. That's really flimsy!"

"Eddie, it was the email that precipitated the phone calls that led to the assassination order. How could it be anything else?"

"Calm down. You're trying to make a picture out of something with a very large puzzle piece missing. How do you know that the mystery man wasn't going to whack this guy anyway? I'll tell you. You don't know! So, stop driving yourself crazy over something that you can't prove. I find it hard to believe that one email would get a guy killed."

"Oh, Eddie! You should hear what's inside this middle man's head. He's evil. He would kill anyone with far less evidence."

"Maybe so, but he's not the one who gave the order."

"Well, this mystery man is far worse."

"How can you know that? You can't read his mind, Adriel."

"I know him from somewhere. I still haven't figured it out. This guy is bad news."

"OK, stop torturing yourself, and by all means, do not attend the assassination. Do you understand me?"

"I have to. I may be able to find out if I'm responsible."

"No, Adriel! The time you witnessed the suicidal thoughts of the operative in Pakistan you were nearly catatonic for over an hour."

"There's no way I can turn away from this, Eddie. I have to know."

"No, you don't. Besides, you won't find out on Sunday morning when this guy gets murdered. Just don't go. Don't put Evelyn through this. I'm not there to help. Another thing you need to consider is what you told me about choosing how long we live. This guy was going to die anyway."

"You may be right. I'll have to think about that, but I hate to be the one who precipitated his beheading."

"Adriel, whether someone is beheaded in a car accident or by an assassin is really moot. Dead is dead. It was going to happen anyway. Stop this nonsense."

"I need some time to think. As much as I don't want to monitor this black hole, I need to stay in touch to see what else he is doing."

"I agree. Now, please let me get back to sleep, OK?"

As much as I knew that Eddie's reasoning was sound, I couldn't help but blame myself. An operative blew his own brains out with a nine millimeter semi-automatic pistol because I had stirred up a commotion about the judgment virus. Now a man was about to be executed, probably because I had sent an email from a potentially alarming official. This was all difficult for me. It was hard enough to read the thoughts of so many evil and disturbed people. I tried to ignore the personal aspects of everyone's lives, which were often appalling, but I couldn't just sidestep them. This whole operation was taking a toll on me, and I really didn't want to discuss it with Evelyn for her sake.

I decided to focus on my mystery man for the next hour, and then it would be time to start breakfast for Evelyn and myself. I was trying to understand his position and where he was located, but without being able to read his thoughts it was difficult. He made phone calls but never seemed to communicate face to face with anyone. I was able to follow his methodical contact of the managers that Sajid had hired for the various areas of infiltration. He was establishing rapport to prepare for their reassignment directly to him after the execution on Sunday. Sajid was not being replaced, just removed. I knew there were many others who reported to this mystery man, but I would have to keep him in my sight to find them out. I didn't know how long it would take, nor did I know how much time I had.

6:00 AM

Evelyn and I sat down at the breakfast table to enjoy the chocolate, cashew crepes that I made. I served a side of turkey sausage along with it, and we ended up making a second pot of coffee. I wanted to tell her so much, but I tried to appear calm and confident. I filled her in on some of the details that I had learned, but I skirted the assassination that was scheduled for Sunday morning. That would happen a little after 9:00 PM in our time zone on Saturday night. I was doubting that Evelyn would be asleep at that time, and maybe that would be a good thing if I missed the horrible event. After breakfast, she packed her lunch and headed for work. I decided to catch up on a little sleep and then spend the remainder of my day working on my projects.

10:30 PM

I had a very productive day. I finished one of my projects at work and decided to spend half the afternoon cooking. Preparing food always had a way of relaxing me and getting my mind off of my daily stress. I spent over two hours perfecting an orange sauce for the duck l'orange that we enjoyed for dinner. The duck was accompanied with a creamed spinach by slowly simmering minced onion and garlic in butter with salt and pepper for thirty minutes on very low heat. The fresh spinach and been microwaved and the excess water squeezed out before adding it to the onion and garlic. Heavy cream was then stirred into the spinach mixture. A baked, whipped potato covered in Gruyere provided our starch. The baked potatoes were beaten with cream, butter, salt pepper, onion, French thyme and rosemary. The beaten mixture was then stuffed into the potato skins and broiled to brown the tops. Each potato was sprinkled with Gruyere cheese just before serving. I still wasn't drinking alcohol, because I had to stay sharp for my nightly investigations, so we enjoyed our meal with sparkling water.

Not long after dinner, Evelyn mentioned that she was tired, and she turned in early. I focused on my mystery man once again. It was like having a dead telephone to my ear. Every once in a while the receiver would come to life, and I could detect that someone was communicating with him. After several contacts that didn't interest me, he finally had a meaningful conversation that made me reach for my pen and paper. He was talking with a man named Mudassar. Mudassar was responsible for the coordination of the coup in Pakistan. The virus that shrinks the hippocampus was necessary to execute their plans, but the virus still had not been tested. Once they had successful test results and understood the efficacy of the virus and how quickly it produced results, they would move forward with their plans to take control of Pakistan and India at the same time.

Mudassar was instructed to coordinate with the operative that was assigned to the Indian government who would administer the virus to take down targeted officials. The judgment virus was already in full swing there, and once he had the memory blocking virus at his disposal it was a matter of a few months before they had control. This coup would give them the armaments that they needed to execute a world domination strategy that even the United States could not resist. Not only would they have the nuclear warheads of Pakistan and India, they would have the viruses, EMP satellites, and the mind control operatives who would infiltrate the countries of the world. In addition, a strategically planned nuclear disaster was scheduled to gain worldwide attention and fear. However, the target had not yet been chosen.

The United States had satellite armaments that projected a laser beam that could pinpoint a single person. Few knew about about this arsenal of laser beams, but the infiltration efforts had uncovered the secret, and the mystery man fully intended to use these weapons as a demonstration to the world. He was going to call fire down from heaven in the sight of men. Once he had gained control of the United States, the rest of the world would soon crumble at his feet. My head started spinning once again for the first time in quite a while. I was getting all of this information from his contacts. I couldn't imagine what lurked in his own mind. Plans were in place, but it all hinged on the memory blocking virus. Military power was insufficient to dominate the world. He needed to kick the struts out from under the government structures that controlled the military in key countries to disable any resistance.

I spent hours trying to assimilate the plans that I had just learned. It was alarming to think that the world was being distracted by violence when it was being eaten alive by a cancer of infiltration from an unknown terrorist group whose goal was to achieve world dominance in an undetected maneuver. I had no idea how large this group was, or if they had any affiliation with another group. If only I could read my mystery man, but that wasn't an option. How was I supposed to stop this madman? I had no direction, and in addition I was powerless to read his thoughts. How can I stop someone without knowing fully what he intends to do? I was receiving fragments of the operation, but not the whole picture.
Saturday, January 12, 5:00 AM

I was dreading the coming assassination, but there was no way that I could just ignore it. I had to attend. I felt somewhat responsible, although Eddie tried to convince me otherwise. It seemed like I was botching things left and right. Why didn't I get any clear direction? It would be nice if I knew when to wait and when to act. On the one hand, it seemed that if I had just waited until I was absolutely sure what to do, then things would have gone better. However, it's difficult to just wait when you know you have a task to do, because you don't want to waste any time or miss an opportunity. Did I really negotiate all of this with the Creator prior to my descent? What was I thinking?

Evelyn was sleeping in today. She had some shopping to do and was meeting a friend for lunch. Although she would prefer something light for breakfast, I decided to make an Italian frittata. There were plenty of fresh vegetables in the fridge that I needed to use. Sweet onion sautéed with minced garlic, diced red pepper, and zucchini with sliced mushrooms would make a good filling. The vegetables were augmented with pepper, French thyme, basil, and oregano. Once they had cooked for a few minutes, they were added to six beaten eggs and stirred in with some Parmesan cheese. The frittata was then ready to be baked at 375 degrees for twenty minutes. I took it out of the oven once it turned a beautiful golden brown color and was firm in the center.

7:00 AM

You guessed it. It was time for some steaming rich Columbian coffee to complement the frittata. It smelled so good as it was brewing. Actually, I think it was the aroma from the coffee that caused Evelyn to scoot out of bed and wander into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes. I smiled and grabbed an extra cup from the cabinet. She still wasn't completely coherent as she began sipping her coffee. I knew conversation at this point would be futile, so I let her sit at the table, gazing at nothing apparent, while she continued to wake up.

I was in somewhat of a dither, but I put on a good front. I really didn't want her know what was scheduled for tonight's activity. The less she knew, the better. That was my motto, and I tried to adhere to it as much as possible. When Evelyn began to recognize that I was in the room, I started with some light conversation and asked about her plans for the day. You can't imagine what it's like to make small talk when you can read someone's mind. Thoughts often wandered in several directions. Sometimes it was difficult to keep from laughing, and sometimes it was just downright frightening.

"So, where do you plan to go shopping?"

"Oh, I was going to go department store hopping at the mall to see what sales were available." Evelyn was really thinking about what to wear for the day.

"Do you have anything in particular that you're looking for?"

"Not really. I figured if I could find a good deal, I would take advantage of it." Evelyn was now thinking that she needed to do laundry before she left.

"Where did you decide to eat lunch with Norma?"

"She wanted to go to that sushi restaurant in the mall, Get the Fork out of Here." Evelyn's thoughts were, "That's a stupid name for a restaurant."

I, on the other hand, thought it was hilarious. "I didn't think you liked sushi."

"It's OK. I can eat it; it's just not my first choice." Evelyn was now thinking of the decadent, chocolate dessert that the restaurant had on the menu.

"What time will you be home? Should I have dinner ready?"

"I'm really not sure. I'll text you and let you know." Now Evelyn was thinking of having a few glasses of wine with Norma at the wine bar around the corner from the restaurant. I knew I could skip the dinner plans.

10:40 AM

I had been keeping a journal of my experiences on my laptop for the past several months. It was more like a diary, actually. I had kept dates, and times, and events so that I could review them at any time. Were it not for my diligent records, I would never have been able to recount this experience to you with nearly as much detail. I retrieved the journal from my office and sat down on the couch to skim the past. I always like to look back over time to see if I think that I would do anything differently. It's not fair to ask the question with the knowledge of events that transpired after my decisions. I had to remain more objective and determine if I would have done the same thing with the same knowledge that I had at that time. I recounted my frustrations in the early days when I didn't know why I could remember other people's lives. I searched for answers, but instead of finding the answers, the answers had found me. At this point, I couldn't imagine doing anything differently than I had chosen at any point in time. I closed the journal. I needed more answers, and I knew that it would take time.

I kept busy around the house catching up on some of my weekly chores. I was still nervous about tonight, and I wasn't sure how I would find the opportunity to witness the assassination. Eddie usually had the voice of reason, and he had urged me to pass this up, but I felt somewhat responsible, and there was no way that I could resist attending.

I had made a mistake decades ago when I passed up an opportunity to experience something monumental while I was out of the country. There was a man who practiced transcendental meditation. He would perform for the public by having cars drive over his chest. He would be unharmed by the weight of the car due to his meditative trance that he would employ during the stunt. He decided to create the show of all shows. He initiated a press release that he was going to be crucified at a particular time and place. His intention was to hang on a cross longer than the anointed had done over two thousand years ago. He had special stainless steel spikes made to reduce the chance of serious infection when he had his hands and feet pierced. The day came for the crucifixion. I wanted to attend in so many ways, but for some reason I decided not to go. The next day, I saw the front page of the newspaper which displayed a large photograph of the upper part of his body on the cross. His fingers were spread wide with the spikes through the center of his palms, and his face had the most horrifying look of agony and terror. I would never forget it. He lasted twenty minutes before begging to be taken down from the cross. He missed his goal by at least six hours. To this day, I regret not attending and much more for not keeping a copy of that newspaper.

7:00 PM

Evelyn returned home too late for dinner as I suspected. I just had a small salad for dinner and retired to the bedroom to watch some television. I figured that would keep my mind occupied until later tonight. She joined me to watch a few programs.

9:00 PM

I was shaking again. As I had expected, Evelyn was still wide awake watching television. I had about half an hour before the execution would take place. I feigned fatigue and told Evelyn that I was going to sleep in the guest room since she was still watching television. This was not a common practice for me. Normally the television would put me to sleep. She didn't seem suspicious, so I grabbed my slippers and headed upstairs. I was hoping that she would fall asleep and not check on me. I knew that I would be wide awake and in no shape for a conversation. I had to do this.

I settled into the guest room and turned out the light. I lay on my back in the darkness and focused on Sajid. The assassins had already gathered his family. They spread a large plastic bag on the floor and placed him on his knees on top of the bag with his hands tied behind his back. His family was watching in horror. The assassins then read a treatise concerning the allegations of treason against Sajid and the sentencing of execution by decapitation. The document specified in great detail each of his offenses and the law governing his execution. The family was warned to never discuss this event with anyone, not even one another. They were to dispose of his body, but the assassins were keeping his head. If any member of the family failed to adhere to their instructions, they would be disposed of in the same manner.

I was focusing on Sajid. He was settling his fears into acceptance. He was rationalizing that death would come to him at some point in his life regardless of the means. His concern was for his family and how this horrible event would affect them. His mind went numb. His thoughts started shutting down. He was somewhat detached when the assassin grabbed him by the hair on top of his head and cut through his throat from the front to the back. I stayed with Sajid. The pain was brief and practically nonexistent. He departed from his body, and his overseer took him by his hand and walked him away. I was still following. Sajid was being comforted and acclimated to his new surroundings which were serene and beautiful. His overseer stood by his side as his ascendant family members approached him. It was a touching family reunion as everyone hugged him and welcomed him into the fold. I realized that I had followed him into a dimension where I had never been. His overseer then left him to his family and turned to me. I was instructed to leave.

I wasn't shaking. I felt an incredible peace that I had never felt before. I had never experienced anything like this as a descendant. Even as a prescendant, I had never been in that dimension before. Death was nothing to be dreaded. It proved to be a welcoming home to an eternal residence with no concerns that plagued us in our descendant state. My mind was washed out from the mundane concerns and stresses. Even my mission seemed stressless. For the first time, I did not feel an urgency to find an answer to the problem that I had been assigned. This peace was impenetrable. I felt such a sense of gratitude toward our loving Creator who protected us in ways that I couldn't begin to comprehend. Even though Sajid was brutally murdered, it provided a peace and a joy that couldn't be nullified. The contrast between the violent assassination and the peace that followed was incomprehensible. As prescendants, we were naive about so many things. We had observed descendants on this earthly plane, but we didn't comprehend the pressures and fears, nor did we understand the contrast of peace upon ascension. I felt as though I were in a ship that had passed through a raging storm and was now sitting idle in tranquil waters.

The experience gave me a fresh outlook on life. Anyone who feels that life isn't worth living and seeks to end it, or anyone who thinks life is boring needs to wake up and take a look around. Our opportunities are limitless, and there's so much to be experienced and so much good that can be done for others. Only when we become selfish and self-centered do we fall into the rut of self pity and worthlessness. When we look for opportunities to help and encourage others, we escape the depression and anxiety that nips at our heels. Selfish ambition does not bring peace, but a life lived for others produces a demonstration of love and goodwill that spreads like wildfire. There were times in my life that I have encountered someone who was in an embarrassing circumstance. One such incident was a woman with three small children in the grocery checkout ahead of me whose debit card would not process. She was embarrassed, and rather than disappoint her and her children by leaving their groceries, I asked the cashier to just ring it all with my order. It was really no imposition for me, and her order wasn't expensive, but the real good that it did was to encourage the woman and the cashier to turn around and do something good for someone else. Someone once said that if we aren't part of the solution, we are part of the problem. There is some truth to that.

## **CHAPTER EIGHT**

### **_Direction_**
Tuesday, January 22, 9:00 AM

It had been two weeks since I learned anything new about the coup. It appeared that the whole operation was on hold until the memory blocking virus had finished the testing phase. I had been monitoring Sahar in the lab to see if anything was new on her end. The prisons in Pakistan had been infiltrated and operatives were in place to help administer the clinical trial for the virus. They had chosen thirty inmates to serve as guinea pigs for the memory blocking virus. Half of them would receive a placebo. All were under 30 years of age and were political prisoners. Although they were told nothing about the virus, I could tell by their thoughts that they suspicioned it was something that they would dread.

My phone rang, and I could see that it was Eddie. I immediately read his thoughts. This was personal.

"Hey, Adriel! Do you have a few minutes?"

"Sure, Eddie! I know why you're calling."

"I'm sure you do. You're aware that things have been going extremely well between Angela and me. She seems so right. So far, I can't find anything that I would take exception to, but I haven't really known her that long."

"I know, Eddie, and you're hoping that I can give you inside information to be sure that she's being transparent."

"Exactly! I just don't want to spend months trying to figure out if we might have a future together."

"Well, first of all I want you to realize that I don't pry into your personal life. I try very hard to stay detached from you and Angela, and if I stumble across anything, I quickly divert my attention to something else."

"I do appreciate that, Adriel. You know how difficult it has been for me to accept your ability to know my thoughts."

"I understand. I respect you and Angela and your relationship. I know you would like insider information, but from my perspective that's just not fair to Angela."

"I realize that, but she doesn't have to know that you can read minds. I'd just like to cut to the chase and know if there's a future with her."

"Any future with Angela largely depends on you. She doesn't have inside information on you, and do you think that she would feel any differently if she did?"

"Of course not. I'm transparent with her."

"But you don't trust her."

"I didn't say that I didn't trust her, Adriel. I just wanted to know for the sake of expediency."

"Half the joy of the relationship is in finding out about each other. I'm not going to destroy that for you."

"You wouldn't be destroying anything. Look, I'm seriously considering proposing to her."

"That doesn't sound like you. You've only known her a couple of months."

"I know, but it seems like I've known her longer. Tell me, did I know her prior to my descent?"

"OK, that information I can give you, and yes, we knew her."

"I thought so. Did she and I ever make any plans together?"

"No, although she wanted to, but you had already made an agreement with Annie."

"Are you serious?"

"I certainly am. She stood in the wings and didn't interfere. Not only that, but she didn't make an agreement with anyone else that I know of."

"So, why didn't I choose Angela instead of Annie?"

"Oh, Eddie, that's a question you will have to answer. I will tell you this. I have read her thoughts before, and she is truly a very delightful lady. You would be lucky to have her as a wife, and I will leave it at that."

"I appreciate it. That helped a lot."

"I'm glad. I didn't compromise her thoughts, and you're satisfied with what you know. I wish the rest of what I was doing would go that well."

"I hear you, Adriel. So, you still don't have any progress on the situation?"

"Not really! It all seems to be waiting for the definitive outcome of the virus testing. They need to know how long it takes to see results and just how devastating it is before they consider a timeline."

"What are you going to do when they finish testing the virus? It sounds like there are hundreds, if not thousands, of operatives stationed throughout the world. Once this operation gets set in motion I don't see how you will stop it."

"That makes two of us. I really don't know, Eddie. I feel helpless. I have done some thought hopping all over the world. These infiltrating operatives are trusted by influential government officials, and some are relied on heavily within their posts. They have spent years putting all of this in place right under everyone's noses. I still don't know if they are tied to the terrorist bombings around the world, but they are certainly taking advantage of the distraction."

"Well, you were definitely called to do this. If you can't read this mystery guy, then I know there's a reason for it. Hang in there. Something will turn up sooner or later."

"I'm counting on it, Eddie. There's not much else I can do."

"OK, I'll talk to you later."

9:00 PM

It had been very much a normal day with work, household chores and dinner planning. There were times in the past when the everyday pressures would stress me out so much, but these days it seemed like nothing. I was enjoying the mundane aspects of life and not having to worry about someone searching for me to kill or imprison me. Evelyn was much calmer these days too. It was good to see her back to her normal activities without constant worry. I just never knew how long it would last, but as I said before, I now take each day an hour at a time.

At this point, I knew that the plan to dominate the world had been stepped up with the growing concern that the plot was close to being discovered. Daily interrogations were performed with the clinical trial investigators to learn any possible results from the prisoners who had been inoculated with the virus. I wasn't sure if my mission involved exposing the planned coup, because the last time I divulged information it turned South Asia upside down for a short time. In addition, I wasn't sure if exposing the plot would result in its prevention. I still didn't know who my mystery man was. Even if I divulged the contacts and managers, it would be a stretch to prove anything. There was enough red tape and documentation that it could take months of investigation to uncover anything suspicious, and there was no guarantee that they would find anything. The perpetrators had done an excellent job of hiding and covering their tracks. One thing that I had noticed was that terrorist bombings were more prevalent in the news media in the past two weeks. This led me to believe that the organizations for the coup and world terrorism were linked, but I had no proof.
Monday, February 4, 12:45 AM

After monitoring the situation for weeks, the time had come. Enough analysis had been performed on the prisoners, and the two groups of inoculated subjects were definitively recognized. The control group with the placebo had no significant symptoms, whereas the group with the virus all showed debilitating effects to their memories ranging from not recognizing what month of the year it was to not remembering where they were. The incubation period of the virus averaged ten days. This was good news for the leaders of the coup, because they could move rather quickly once the virus had been distributed to the key targets throughout the world. However, they would need to await the production of the virus in order to provide enough for distribution. They intended to use a shortcut and in addition to manufacturing the virus, they planned to drain all of the bodily fluids from the infected subjects to provide serum that would accommodate the initial targets. After all, they considered the prisoners to be quite expendable, and there was no reason to perpetuate their lives. They were considered heroes to the cause by the leaders of the coup.

At this point, I wasn't sure what I could do. I felt like a man watching the train pull out of the station, and I didn't have a ticket, or moreover like a spectator at the Super Bowl who needed to be on the field. Enough analogies, I was clueless as to what my next move was. According to what I could gather, it would take about a month to distribute the virus to the worldwide checkpoints. There was one hitch. The vaccine for the virus to protect the operatives and members of the coup was still a few months out. There was an inherent risk in distribution prior to vaccination, but certainly a risk that was calculable. I suspicioned that not all of the key operatives would be allowed to remain once the coup was successful. They would be like the first stage of a rocket that was left to space debris after it served its purpose. I wondered if they had considered that, but I imagined they were being enticed by some carrot that didn't really exist.

It seemed that the only way for me to keep abreast of timelines was to monitor communication between my mystery man and others within his organization. This was sketchy at best, because I couldn't spend all of my time listening in with the hope of finding something significant. I needed to spur some thoughts via email, but it couldn't be with the mystery man, because I still couldn't read his thoughts. The coup had to start in Pakistan and India first, so I could monitor the thoughts of those operatives. I wouldn't employ email unless I really needed to do so. In that event, I would need to be more cautious of my subject matter. Rather than ask questions like I had done before, I would give imperatives that would generate thought.

This plan sounded reasonable, but it was only an attempt to learn the progress of their scheme. I still had no idea how I was going to circumvent this worldwide domination and the threat of nuclear destruction. I needed to use Eddie as a sounding board. I would have to call him in the morning and find some time to discuss all of this. I was flying under the radar at this point, and three countries who knew of my existence were no longer pursuing me due to a lack of traceability, or so I thought. They were, however, watching one another very closely. Once again, they had no cognizance of the strike that was soon to take place. I had a loaded gun, but I wasn't sure where to point it, and what's more, it just might contain blanks. I wasn't doing anything without being sure. At least I learned that much during this whole ordeal.

11:18 AM

Evelyn and I had a pleasant morning with a hearty breakfast before she headed for work. I didn't disclose to her anything that I knew at this point, because I didn't want to alarm her. I knew it was getting close to a showdown, and I had no idea what would transpire. I knew that Eddie was awake, so I decided to give him a call.

"Eddie! I wanted to give you a call this morning, because we are getting really close to the advancement of the coup in Pakistan. The virus testing is finished, and they are taking the bodily fluids of the infected prisoners to create a serum to spread the disease. They still need a few months to create a vaccine, but it doesn't appear that they are going to wait. They have expendable operatives throughout the world whom they plan to use as couriers to distribute the virus. Once the vaccine is available, they can move ahead with full force on Pakistan and India."

"That's not good news, Adriel! How can you stop them when they are working under the radar? There wouldn't be enough evidence to convince anyone that there was a coup afoot."

"I know. I'm not sure what to do at this point. I really need some direction, because if I don't do something soon, the entire world will be debilitated, and who knows what will happen?"

"I still can't believe that if you are responsible to stop this that you wouldn't have received more instructions or something. It doesn't seem fair or logical to expect you to know how to do this."

"I agree, but I can't just walk away. I'm hoping to get some sort of guidance soon. We'll see."

"OK, do you need me tonight to forward emails?"

"No, Eddie! At this point I don't think there's anything I have to say, but that could change at any moment."

"OK, let me know if we need to do anything."

"Will do. Talk to you later."

At this point, I was wishing that it was all a bad dream, but I knew too much, and I knew that it was all real. I decided to submerge myself in work to get my mind off of the problems of this world.

1:12 PM

Someone was ringing my doorbell. I wasn't expecting any deliveries, and my heart took a small leap. I answered the front door only to find two men in dark suits staring at me through dark sunglasses. The man on the right was the first to speak. "Do you know one Edmond Brewer?"

My heart was racing. "I do. What's your business?"

He showed me a federal badge. "We're from the FBI, and we would like to contact Mr. Brewer for questioning."

I was trying to hide my apprehension. "Oh dear! Is he in some kind of trouble?"

"We're not here to arrest him, if that's what you mean. We need to ask him some questions that might help us clear up an investigation. Do you know where we can find him?"

"He lives south of town on Brookside Road. Have you tried his residence?"

"We have. It appears that he hasn't been home for several days, and we were wondering if you might know his whereabouts. We contacted his parents, and they mentioned that you might know his exact location."

I was reading their thoughts as intently as possible. These were field agents who were sent to bring Eddie in for questioning. They actually knew nothing about the case. They intended to escort him to Washington D. C. It was just a matter of time before they learned how close Eddie and I were.

"Well, he did go to Idaho recently to visit a friend. I'm not sure when he planned to return."

"Do you know how to reach Mr. Brewer?"

"I have a private email where I can contact him. Do you have a business card with your information so that I can have him give you a call?"

The man on the left gave me a card and asked that I have Eddie contact him at any hour within the next day. I took the card and bade them good day. My heart was pounding like a jackhammer. I needed to contact Eddie. I dialed his number, but he didn't answer. I didn't want to leave a voicemail, so I dialed again. It wasn't like Eddie to be out of touch. I scanned his thoughts. Oh my god! He's playing huggy-bear, kissy-face with Angela! "EDDIE, PICK UP YOUR PHONE! I NEED TO TALK TO YOU!" I was screaming at the top of my lungs.

My phone rang. It was Eddie. "I know why you didn't answer your phone, Eddie. We need to talk."

"Yeah, the strangest thing just happened. I could have sworn I heard you calling my name."

"Well, you must have extremely good ears to hear me all the way to Idaho. I was screaming your name."

"Really? What's up?"

"The FBI was just here looking for you."

"The FBI? I know you read their thoughts. What do they want?"

"They are field agents who have been sent to bring you to Washington D. C. for questioning."

"About what?"

"They didn't say specifically, just something about helping with an investigation, but I can only guess. Eddie, we may be in a lot of trouble here. They did say that they weren't going to arrest you, because I asked if you were in trouble. I have their information. They expect you to call at any time day or night in the next 24 hours."

"This isn't good. If they detain me, and you need me to forward emails, we'll be dead in the water. I should have thought of this sooner. I can give you instructions on how to take control of my computer. I'll give you permission, and if need be, you can forward the emails yourself using my laptop."

"This sounds shaky, Eddie. I don't like last minute preparations."

"Neither do I, but with such short notice, I don't know what else to do."

"OK, send me the instructions, and I'll try testing it tonight. I think you better give these agents a call. I really don't want them on my doorstep again."

"All right. I'll let you know what happens."

"Actually, I'll know as soon as you do, Eddie."

"Oh, right! Talk to you later."

Unfortunately, the only task for the field agents was to bring Eddie to D. C. They weren't briefed on the investigation, and I wasn't sure why. It could be that this is such a sensitive subject that they don't want anyone to know who doesn't need the information. I knew it was a matter of twenty-four hours before Eddie would be questioned by the FBI. I really needed to eavesdrop on that whole conversation and monitor all of the participants. I just wish there was a way that I could let Eddie know what they were thinking. I was on needles and pins now. I couldn't work; I couldn't cook. I just sat on the couch rolling all of the events over and over in my mind. I just hoped that Eddie knew a good attorney, because I was fairly sure that we were going to need one.

6:05 PM

I had managed to throw together a grilled chicken salad for dinner. I had to tell Evelyn about the FBI interrogation, because I didn't know how quickly things would develop. As usual, she was very upset. It's all we talked about the whole evening. During our conversation, I homed in on the agents who spoke with me. They were on a government jet that was about an hour and a half from Boise. I figured I had better test Eddie's idea to give me access to his laptop. I gave him a call to let him know that the agents would be arriving in about two hours. The test went well. Our only concern at this point was a possible power outage, which would sever my access to his laptop, but it wasn't likely that would happen.

9:45 PM

The agents had Eddie in custody. He had already packed a bag, and they were on their way to the airport. I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I had to keep reminding myself that I really didn't know what was going to happen. If they knew anything, we would have both been apprehended. I'm really not a pessimist, but I couldn't stop thinking of what I would do if I were arrested. Poor Evelyn! It was bad enough during the few weeks I spent in Orlando. If I went to prison, I didn't know how she could cope.

Tuesday, February 5, 3:45 AM

I couldn't sleep. I had kept monitoring Eddie while he was on the plane. His mind had been racing as fast as mine, and he tried to imagine every scenario and how he would answer any questions. He had remained cool in front of the agents and did manage to fall asleep for a while during the flight. They had just landed at Arlington, and a car was waiting to take them into D. C. They had a room prepared for Eddie with an armed guard and instructed him to get whatever sleep he could before they took him to FBI headquarters at 8:00 AM. I was exhausted and tried to catch a few winks during this time as well. Unfortunately, I was never nearly as successful at sleep as Eddie.

8:45 AM

Evelyn had fixed her own breakfast this morning and left for work. My stomach was in knots, and there was no way I could eat anything. I promised to let her know anything as soon as possible. Agents were filing into the interrogation room, which was actually a conference room. Eddie was taking full advantage of my ability to read his mind, and he described everything in as much detail as he could. I felt as though I were in the room. There was a continental breakfast and coffee, and Eddie was stuffing a jelly donut into his mouth and drinking a diet cola. If I were in his place, a lack of sleep and a sugar overload would certainly have me in a panic attack. I was glad to be in the comfort of my own home.

9:05 AM

The meeting was under way. Eddie was given a nondisclosure agreement to sign. One of the principal agents spent about fifteen minutes explaining the importance of secrecy concerning the meetings and Eddie's involvement. By now, I was reading all of the minds in the room. Eddie was doing an excellent job of identifying everyone for my sake. I was hopping from mind to mind as I read all of their thoughts. I breathed a sigh of relief, and tears started streaming down my face as I collapsed on the couch. My stress had broken, and I was thoroughly exhausted.

I wanted to call Evelyn, but I needed to attend to everyone's thoughts. I was fighting sleep, but I was still successful in polling each mind in the room. There was quite a hierarchy of participants, from the Secretary of Defense down to the technical analysts who had tried to track our footprints. Twenty government participants were seated at the huge conference table. Eddie was briefed on every email that I had sent to the leaders of the three countries. They had all of the transcripts of communication with the U. S. delegates, Pakistan, and India. The chairperson for the meeting explained that they were fairly certain there was more than one perpetrator and expressed the possibility of government infiltration into Pakistan, India, and the U. S. They couldn't imagine that one person could possibly know and communicate the information that was detailed in the emails. Just then, I nearly choked as Eddie mentioned the possibility of mind reading. I could detect the side glances in the meeting between those higher in the chain of command. They were thinking of their own research and development into the mind control process. However, they had not achieved nearly the success that was evidenced by the emails. I then realized that mind control was a popular topic among multiple nations. They dismissed Eddie's suggestion and explained that he was not there to surmise the ability of the perpetrators. Rather, they wanted Eddie to analyze the email packets that they had captured.

As it turned out, one of the technicians had remembered seeing an online presentation of an email security package that was being marketed on the Internet. Eddie had created a website a few years back, trolling for any possible interest in his software. The presentation gave certain details about the architecture, but the algorithms used for encryption and the extent of the roundhouses were not disclosed. The technician remembered the presentation and made a connection between the captured emails and Eddie's architecture.

Their first line of questioning began with any customers that Eddie had dealt with and who owned his software. Eddie explained that he had not finished the software, and that he had been trying to ascertain if there might be any possible interest in his product. There were no customers. I didn't like the thought patterns. If there were no customers, then that narrowed the suspects to one, Eddie. However, they didn't voice their suspicions to him. Instead, they asked if he had any partners, or if anyone had access to his software. Eddie continued to explain that the package had not been completed, and that he was the sole developer. He also explained that someone could have seen his presentation online and developed a similar product, which he insisted would be inferior to his own. They were hoping he was right, because at this point they were intending to rely on Eddie to crack the code and pinpoint the origin of the emails. My fear turned to amusement. Eddie was the smartest person in the room, and he knew it. The fox was being hired to guard the henhouse, and Eddie immediately began negotiating a handsome compensation for his services. At this point, they all adjourned with the intention to reconvene in two hours. The Secretary of Defense was off to report to the President of the United States, and a staff member from procurement was invited to provide the necessary contracts to hire Eddie to find himself. I broke out laughing and called Evelyn.

1:15 PM

Evelyn had been greatly relieved when I explained Eddie's situation. She hadn't been able to work all morning due to her consternation. I assured her that Eddie had everything under control. I knew Eddie, and I was certain that he would engineer this deal to be both humorous and lucrative. I can definitely appreciate the humor, and I was glad that he would get compensated for his financial loss in Orlando. As it turned out, he was compensated many, many times over.

Eddie now had a deal to work remotely from anywhere, which I knew would be Idaho at this time. I couldn't help but fantasize about the irony of Eddie forwarding emails to foreign dignitaries and drawing a lucrative compensation to lead the hound dogs on a wild goose chase. Once again, truth has proven to be stranger than fiction. Eddie would be back in Idaho not long after nightfall. Angela was completely unaware of what just happened. Eddie disclosed as little as possible, and I always appreciated that.

My appetite was returning, and I wanted to celebrate with Evelyn tonight. I decided to prepare her favorite, spaghetti and meatballs with Salad Caprese. I needed to visit the grocery to buy some fresh basil and mozzarella. I also needed some veal and Italian sausage for the meatballs and a bottle of great Chianti to go with our dinner. This was one night that I would make an exception with my abstinence.

9:15 PM

Evelyn was already asleep. I let her drink the lion's share of the wine, and she was lightly snoring in our bedroom. I knew that she would wake up around 11:00 to get ready for bed. Tomorrow was Friday, so she was planning to work from home. She could sleep in an extra hour in the morning. Dinner was excellent, and she really appreciated having her favorite meal with a great bottle of wine. I was surprised at how woozy I felt from the glass and a half of wine that I had. I was also surprised that I really didn't enjoy it that much anymore. It reminded me of spoiled fruit, but this was a good bottle of wine. I had definitely lost my taste for it. At any rate, Evelyn really appreciated it.

I decided to track the scientist who was responsible for the clinical trial at the prison to see how they were progressing with the serum for the virus. They were extracting the bodily fluids from the fifteen patients and packaging them into 9cc bottles for distribution. They had calculated a total of 93,000 bottles would be produced, which would be a good start to infest the target populations around the globe. This was a cumbersome process as it had to be done by hand, and great care was taken to insulate the technicians from the virus. It would be another week before the batch of serum was ready for transport. They were making daily shipments to the lab where the bottles were placed into cold storage.

Time was running out, but I suddenly had an idea. Eddie wasn't going to like this, but drastic times call for drastic measures. He had encouraged me not to make any more waves in South Asia, but I was about to drop a very large stone into the water. Although he was leading the investigation for three countries to find us, this was going to generate another search from some very undesirable folks. I was nervous, but I had no other alternative at this point. I needed to do a little research to get my plans solidified. Once I had everything I needed, I would discuss it with Eddie. Not that I needed his permission, but he was forwarding my emails, and he would know what I was doing. I just didn't want any sudden repercussions from him when I dropped this little bomb of mine.

I also needed to talk to Eddie about his assignment. The Secretary of Defense had come up with a plan to test Eddie. The technicians had suspicioned that the encryption software used a date and time stamp in the algorithm along with a passcode to encrypt the data in the email packet. They had generated thousands of the same email messages to jam the servers in an attempt to find us, and upon analyzing the identical emails, they noticed that the encrypted results were different for each one. They were waiting to see if Eddie disclosed this fact to them. If so, then it would help relieve their suspicions about him.

Eddie answered right away. "Hey, Adriel! What's up?"

"I needed to talk to you to let you know that the Secretary of Defense was waiting to see if you would disclose that the encryption software used the date and time in the algorithm for the encryption."

"Yeah, that's rather elementary! I was planning to disclose as much as possible without giving away the farm."

"OK, I just wanted you to be aware that they didn't completely trust you."

"Oh goodness, Adriel, I knew that from the beginning. I plan to whet their appetites periodically, but the trail will be cold by the time I disclose anything. They did trace the emails to Orlando, but they don't know if that was the final destination. I thought it might be best if I disclosed that the emails generated from there. That would corroborate their suspicions. Besides, the exact location can't be traced, so they wouldn't know the address of the origin."

"Sounds good, Eddie. We covered our tracks fairly well. There's something else that I need to discuss. The scientists who are creating the serum from the bodily fluids of the patients will have about 93,000 vials to use for distribution at the end of next week. Right now, they are housing them at a lab in cold storage."

"Sounds like we don't have much time."

"Exactly! I have a plan, but it's going to stir up a hornet's nest. I want to be sure that we can't be traced."

"Don't worry. I'm leading the investigation at this point. I'm not going to give up our position."

"Actually, this has nothing to do with your investigation. I will be stirring up a different hornet's nest."

"What do you mean, Adriel?"

"Remember Mr. Creepy that I told you about, the Black Hole?"

"Sure, but I thought you couldn't read his thoughts."

"I can't, but I'm about to light a powder keg under him, and he will be frantic to find me."

"Uh, I'm not so sure that's a good idea. Right now, we are under the radar."

"I know, but I'm desperate, Eddie. I need to stop them from distributing the first wave of this virus."

"So, how do you plan to do that?"

I spent the next fifteen minutes explaining to Eddie what I needed to do, and why I needed to do it. He admitted that it was a gutsy move, and he rather liked it. I was surprised that he was onboard so easily. We certainly didn't have a better plan. I just needed to gather a little more information and strike at the right time, which would be after they had extracted the last of the bodily fluids, but before they sent them out for distribution. Fortunately, I knew their plan, so I could intervene at just the right time.

11:30 PM

I gave Eddie the night off. I had plenty of contacts to observe, and I spent two hours gathering information and creating my own schedule of events that were planned to launch the coup. I was also creating a list of email addresses that I would use in my next strike. I needed to be sure that I didn't make any wrong moves. My emails needed to appear as genuine as possible to create an urgency based on fear if my plan was to be successful. I hated politics, but my job was entirely based on manipulation and untruthful communication. This was terribly unsavory for me, but I didn't see any other choices.
Friday, February 8, 7:10 AM

Evelyn and I were enjoying a later breakfast this morning since she was working from home. It was customary that I made a second pot of coffee on these occasions. We had just finished a vegetable frittata with a side dish of bacon, and we retired to the back porch to enjoy the rest of our coffee and catch up on a few things. She mostly talked about work during this time. I usually listened and nodded with an occasional affirmation. During a lull in the conversation I took the opportunity to catch Evelyn up on Eddie's situation.

At the moment that I explained Eddie was going to disclose that the origin of the emails was Orlando, Evelyn shrieked in horror, "No!"

"What's the matter?"

"Adriel, you can't be that obtuse. I flew to Orlando and took you to the emergency room. There are records of those events, and you know full well that the FBI will be cross referencing every item of data. Your name will be part of that connection, because they know that you are connected to Eddie. They are bound to find out that you were in Orlando at the same time that the emails occurred."

"Oh dear! I had completely forgotten about the trip to the emergency room. Maybe we can pass it off as a vacation."

"Really? You can't be serious. I flew alone, and I was there for one day, not to mention that it was Thanksgiving. How could this look more suspicious?"

That terribly sick feeling to which I was so familiar returned to my stomach. I felt nauseous. "You're right. I need to call Eddie immediately to make sure that he doesn't disclose Orlando."

I frantically called Eddie. After the third try, he finally answered his phone. He was groggy from sleep. "Adriel? Why are you calling so early?"

"Sorry for the time difference, Eddie, but I need for you to keep Orlando a secret. Evelyn just reminded me that she took me to the emergency room there, and there will be a record of me in Orlando."

"Oh, oh! Somehow you failed to mention to me that you went to the emergency room."

"Of course we did, Eddie."

"No, you didn't. When I arrived, Evelyn was in such a lather that all she could do was blame me for your condition. Neither of you said anything about the emergency room."

"Well, nonetheless, please don't disclose Orlando as the email origin."

"I'm afraid it's too late. I sent a report last night to my contacts in D. C. I can't just retract my statement."

"Oh no! It's just a matter of time before they haul me in for questioning."

"I hate to admit it, but you're probably right. We need to think of an alibi for you and Evelyn."

"What sort of alibi will alleviate their suspicions? The timing is incriminating, and the fact that Evelyn was only there for one day to take me to the hospital looks incredibly suspicious."

"Too true, Adriel. We'll have to think of something."

"Good Lord, Eddie! I can't afford to be detained right now. Things are getting ready to heat up, and I need to be available."

"I know. I doubt that they will connect all of the dots for a week or two."

"Great! That's horrible timing for me! I'm ready to create havoc, and I have no idea what the outcome will be."

"One day at a time, Adriel! Let's just move forward with your plan."

I got off the phone with Eddie, and Evelyn was furious. "The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. I can't believe that you two have such a lack of communication."

I was defensive. "Hey, we aren't perfect."

"You can't afford to be anything less," Evelyn snapped back. "This is serious business, Adriel."

"I know that. We'll just have to weather this storm."

Evelyn stormed off to the bathroom.

2:00 PM

I couldn't get the nagging thought out of my head about being interrogated by the FBI. My imagination always had a way of torturing me. I had visions of water boarding and splinters under my fingernails. I knew those weren't real tactics that they would use, but then again, it was my imagination that I had to resist. I couldn't come up with a plausible alibi that didn't insult one's intelligence. In the final analysis, I decided to simply tell the truth, and even that might appear to insult the intelligence. My story was too incredible, but I could prove my abilities. My imagination immediately turned on me with scenarios of them realizing my powers.

8:00 PM

Evelyn and I had a silent dinner together. She was still very upset about the lack of communication that Eddie and I suffered. Evelyn could understand inevitable circumstances, but any negative results that could have been prevented were unacceptable to her, not that she herself was perfect. She often had unrealistic expectations of me, and lately with my superhuman powers I think she expected that I should be infallible.
Tuesday, February 12, 6:00 AM

I was apprehensive. The lab technicians in Pakistan were finishing ahead of schedule, and the last batch of serum was to be shipped to cold storage tomorrow. Timing was crucial. I needed to call Eddie this morning to coordinate my strike. He would need to be on call, because I had to wait until the precise moment when the entire batch of serum was in one place before they started the distribution process. This depended on the lab technicians bottling the remaining serum and shipping it to the lab for storage. They planned to distribute all of the serum at the same time, hoping that they would spread the virus undetected. If anything went awry with one of the infestation points, they trusted that the majority would be successful, and there wouldn't be time for any of the targets to alert others of the danger. They were still feverishly working on the vaccine for the virus, and I wasn't sure when that would be ready. However, if my plan worked, I could set them back for several weeks on the initial distribution. Time would tell.

Evelyn was still irritated with Eddie and me. At least there hadn't been any repercussions yet resulting from Eddie's report. I was fairly certain that I would receive absolutely no warning that it was coming. My blood pressure was elevated on a daily basis. Evelyn knew that something significant was planned for tonight, but I kept the details a secret. She was nervous and pessimistic about our future. I didn't really blame her. Things were going to heat up again, and I had no idea where it might lead. I hoped that I could do some real damage to the coup, but that was only temporary. Once I played my hand, I wouldn't have another opportunity when they recovered. I was kicking the can down the road, but that was the best I could do. I was unloading all that was left in my arsenal tonight. After that, I was out of ammunition.

2:00 PM

I had a fairly busy day at work. I appreciated that it kept my mind occupied, because I was concerned that I would be taken in for questioning, and I knew that I would tell the absolute truth about my situation. I would have to prove my abilities to be kept from being locked away in the looney bin. Once the government knew what my capabilities were, I would be harnessed to perform a countless number of intelligence tasks that would most likely be objectionable to me. They most assuredly would threaten me with prison to get me to do whatever they wanted. I would be a slave to the most powerful government in the world, and I would be forced to spy on all of the nations around the globe from some sterile room in the basement of the Pentagon. I wondered if they would let me out for the holidays. They would probably implant some GPS homing device somewhere in my body so that I couldn't run and hide. No, they couldn't afford to let me out. I would know too much, and they wouldn't possibly risk me telling anyone. I would probably be confined to supervised visits with my family on occasion. I might as well have gone to prison, because it all equates to the same. I'm doomed no matter what. Then when they were done with me, the next move would be to dissect my brain to try to determine how I was able to do these things.

My mind was a runaway bullet train. I needed to calm down. I knew the Creator had a plan, and I wasn't privy to that plan for a good reason. We never received ability or information from him before we needed it. This was frustrating, for sure. I was responsible for something that I didn't know how to accomplish. This was a ticking time bomb, and I was watching the clock run out without much of a clue as to how to stop it. I needed to focus. I had a task, but was it really my responsibility to stop this? It seemed ludicrous that someone as obscure as I would be handed a mission that was so essential to life on this planet.

Then again, throughout history there were many times when the course of this world changed due to one man's actions. One of my favorite historical figures was Alexander the Great, who never had that title during his lifetime. He was known as Alexander the Invincible. He was always the first one over the wall, leading his army into battle. He had conquered the known world in his early thirties and spread the Greek language and culture wherever he went. Greek was the common language for hundreds of years, much like English is today. Everyone across a multilingual area from Rome to Egypt used Greek to communicate. Albert Einstein's theories gave birth to many advancements in mathematics and physics and provided an understanding and perspective that was new and innovative. Relativity and quantum theory, birthed by Einstein, changed the world of science. Julia Child had brought French cooking to the American housewife and changed the culinary scene by introducing such wonderful dishes, like Boeuf Bourguignon. OK, maybe I'm stretching this a bit, but I like to cook, and for me, Julia was a game changer.

Speaking of Julia, tomorrow night would be an excellent opportunity to make that delectable dish with cubed beef, Bordeaux wine, onion, garlic, a rich stock, and tomato paste, perfectly seasoned with salt, pepper, bay leaf, and French thyme. I wouldn't have time to finish it today. I would need to bake a great loaf of baguette with lots of European butter to accompany the stew. I rarely planned dinner a day in advance, so this was one less thing for me to do tomorrow. It amazed me how much the idea of cooking could dissuade my anxiety from torturing me with possibilities that would most likely never become a reality.

10:00 PM

Dinner conversation tonight had been practically nil. The tension between Evelyn and me was thicker than the steak that I had grilled for her this evening. I even served another bottle of great wine, which I decided to pass up due to my activities later in the night. She was still upset and worried about what might happen. I didn't know what I could do to relieve her tension. I had hoped that dinner would help her to ease up, but it didn't. The wine seemed to aggravate the situation rather than relax her. The less I said, the better. She retired early in silence and was now sound asleep.

I called Eddie to coordinate with him. It was going to be a long night, because I needed to periodically monitor when the last of the serum had been extracted and exactly when it arrived at the lab to join the other vials that were awaiting distribution. It appeared from what I could ascertain from their schedule that I had about a four hour window to execute my plan, but that greatly depended on who was in the lab during that time. I was hoping that my list of email addresses would be sufficient to accomplish my task. I didn't see any obstacles yet, and that was somewhat comforting. My main concern was not falling asleep and missing my opportunity which sent me to the coffee pot to brew a strong dose for tonight's activities.

I jotted down a schedule to poll each of the operative's thoughts so that I could stay abreast of the activity. Once again, this not only proved to be incredibly boring, but I really didn't want a lot of the information that I was gathering. As usual, it's amazing what people think about and often disturbing. Thought surveillance is truly an ugly job. I was making frequent trips to the coffee pot, and I needed to brew another pot. Coffee, blood pressure, lack of sleep, I just hoped that I wouldn't have a coronary before the night was over.

I went into the guest room to lie down and focus on the technicians who were completing the extraction process and filling the vials. They were all anxious to be finished, partially due to the monotonous procedure and the concern for exposure. I was also taking an account of who was showing up for work in the lab at this time to determine who my principal target would be for my next move. I created a roster of individuals to gain an understanding of the dynamics in the lab. I needed for someone to carry out my orders without any contention or delay. I was down by three runs, the bases were loaded, I was at bat, and I needed to knock this baby out of the ballpark. If I failed, it would be game over for the entire world.
Wednesday, February 13, 4:45 AM

It had been a long, sleepless night. Evelyn would be up in forty-five minutes to get ready for work. The last of the serum was on its way to the lab, and preparations were being made for distribution. Vials of the virus had been packaged by location, and names were attached to designate the vials for the couriers who were scheduled to pick up their deliveries in the next hour. My palms were sweating, and my breathing had increased. I looked around for a paper bag in case I started to hyperventilate. There was none to be found. I tried to control my breathing. I really didn't want Evelyn to witness my strike, but there was no way I could wait for her to go to work.

Eddie was poised and ready to receive my email that would be forwarded. I was waiting to see which recipient would be best to carry out my orders. The sending email address was that of the Black Hole, which I had retrieved from one of his henchmen. He was ultimately in charge of the operation. However, he was somewhat removed at this point as he had a manager in place who was responsible for the distribution. The manager seemed like the best target for my email, but he wasn't on site at the lab at this time. I decided to switch the sender's address of my email to the manager and target the lead technician at the lab. My email was ready. I sent it to Eddie with instructions not to forward it until the precise moment when I gave him the signal.

5:09 AM

The final vials of serum had just arrived. I had less than half an hour to execute my plan. I gave Eddie the signal to send the email. I intently monitored the lead technician's thoughts. He readily received the email, and I was analyzing him to see if my plan was going to work. I had done a considerable amount of name dropping in my email to increase its validity. The lead technician immediately gave orders to his subordinates to take the packages of vials to the incinerator and destroy all of the samples. He increased the sense of urgency by letting them know that the coup had been detected along with the virus strike, and that the National Security Administrator had dispatched officers to the lab to seize the evidence. All logs and protocols were also burned, which I hadn't actually thought of, but he was doing his best to cover their tracks. He was now in the process of overwriting all pertinent computer files with binary zeroes to erase any incriminating information. My plan had worked better than I anticipated. I had seen the flash of my carefully orchestrated bomb, and now I was awaiting the shock wave. Once the Black Hole got wind of this, he would be after me with a fervor that would make a badger look complacent.

6:00 AM

Evelyn noticed that I was shaking during breakfast. I tried to pass it off as an overdose of caffeine, but she wasn't buying it. "Adriel, are you going to tell me what you were up to last night?"

"OK, I need to let you know what's going on. I've tried to keep you isolated from this, but things are heating up too much, and I'm running out of time. There is a coup planned to overthrow the government in Pakistan with a ripple effect that will subdue the major powers of this world as well. There is a virus that was developed by the scientists who are helping to back this coup. The virus destroys the ability to transfer short term memory to long term memory. It creates a condition similar to the last stages of Alzheimer's disease."

Evelyn had a blank stare. I could read her mind. She was now coming to the realization of just how widespread and dangerous this world threat had become. "What's this virus called?"

"Interestingly, the two viruses that were developed by these scientists were never given names. The judgment virus and the memory virus are the references. They didn't name them, because it would be too easy to research and identify them by name. They wanted them to remain as obscure as possible."

"When is this going to take place?"

"Well, last night by email I was able to spook the lab technicians who were getting ready to distribute the virus. I made them think that the authorities had discovered their plan and were coming to arrest them and use the vials for evidence. As a result, they destroyed the vials of virus and the documentation."

"Can they trace the email? You and Eddie fled Orlando because they were getting close to finding you."

"No, Eddie devised a mechanism that sends an email which forwards through another server. It contains a bogus return address, so there's no way that it can be traced."

"So, is it all over? Can we get back to our lives now?"

"Not exactly! I delayed their plan for the time being. I still need to find a way to bring an end to this coup. Otherwise, it will just be a matter of a few months at most when they will be successful."

"I thought that they destroyed the virus."

"They destroyed the vials that had been gathered from test subjects. It's a long, gruesome story that I'd rather not explain at this point. They are still manufacturing the virus at another location, which I would rather not disclose, along with a vaccine that will be administered to the leaders and operatives of the coup."

"What if you sent an email to the leaders in Pakistan disclosing the coup?"

"It's not that simple. The governments throughout the world have been infiltrated by thousands of members of the coup, especially Pakistan. Trying to communicate through these channels would most likely be intercepted and prevented. Even if I were successful in conveying the threat to them, it would be difficult to get them to believe it, much less act in a timely manner."

"So, what's your next move?"

"I have to wait, because I'm out of ideas at this point." Evelyn was in shock. She was beginning to despair of the future. Her mind turned toward our children. Her eyes welled with tears. I reached over and took her hand. "You have to trust the Creator. He knows what he is doing."

Evelyn didn't finish her breakfast. She excused herself and retreated to the bathroom to finish getting ready for work. I cleaned up the breakfast dishes and checked in at work to see if I had any assignments. Although Evelyn was reticent at this point, I could read her thoughts. I hated to reveal all of this to her, but I knew it was just a matter of time before it all came out, and she would be upset that I hadn't told her sooner. It was a lot to deal with, and I needed to give her time. After Evelyn left for work, I sat on the couch feeling like the soldiers inside the Alamo who had just run out of ammunition. It would take divine intervention at this point, because I was devoid of any ideas. Eddie and I talked for nearly half an hour about the success. He congratulated me, but I didn't feel that any praise was in order. I was a lying, manipulative American operative acting on my own accord. In spite of the outcome, I wasn't feeling very good about myself. I spent the rest of the day concentrating on work. I did have a couple of projects to occupy my thoughts, so I turned my focus on them and pushed everything to the back of my mind. I fell asleep for a couple of hours due to my exhaustion, but it was difficult for me to remain asleep during the day. I went back to work.

10:30 PM

The day was finally over. The stew and French bread had been excellent and just the thing for a cold winter evening. I served Evelyn a nice Beaujolais to accompany the meal. She liked dipping her bread in the wine. It was something that she had learned from her grandmother many years ago. Every time she soaked up the wine with a morsel of bread she thought of her grandmother. I was just glad that she was having a pleasant memory at this time. She had been uncharacteristically quiet this evening, and I fully expected it. She was still trying to accept the state of affairs, but she was clinging to denial all the while.

Evelyn and I had watched television after dinner, which I found to be a great diversion from my early morning activity. We turned out the lights, and I was sure to be asleep in seconds, or so I thought. I started dreaming those crazy, nonsensical dreams that start to invade the mind when one begins to pass through the alpha state. I could still hear Evelyn lightly snoring, and I knew she was sound asleep, but why wasn't I? Suddenly, I was keenly aware of everything in the room. My eyes were closed, but I could distinctly see everything. It was then that I noticed I was floating near the ceiling. I rotated from face up to face down and saw myself lying in bed. It appeared that I was sleeping. I figured that I must be having a lucid dream, which happened to me on rare occasion. After all, I was exhausted, and I had quite a day.

It seemed like time had passed, but I didn't know if was minutes or hours. I was no longer in my room. I had no idea where I was. There was a natural pool of clear water that had a white sandy bottom. Several couples were reclining and talking by the water's edge. The surrounding trees and shrubbery were beautiful, and the grass was soft as silk. I then realized that none of us were clothed. No one was ashamed. Everyone was comfortable and encouraging. They recognized me as a newcomer, and I could read their inviting thoughts. I stepped into the pool and felt the rush of warm water against my legs, but the pool was still. The sand was soft and pure. I then saw a beautiful, young, brunette woman enter the pool from the other end. Her hair was straight and hung to her waist. She kept looking intently into my eyes as she approached. Her body was exquisite, and I intended to make a joke out of the fact that we were naked. Everyone perceived that I was unaccustomed to this state, and I understood their encouragement.

The young woman took my hand, and I noticed that everyone at the pool had a mate of the opposite sex. I understood that she was to be my mate. She instructed me in a water ballet, and I was amazed that I could move so gracefully with such agility. My body was young again and capable of movement that I had never experienced before. The others had joined us, and the choreography was stupendous. I couldn't believe that I was a part of such beauty and grace. She held my hands as we circled in the water. We stared into one another's eyes. I was mesmerized by her emerald green gaze. I had never felt such love and acceptance and security. There was absolute intimacy, no fear, and such a positive sense of the eternal. Her skin was clear and soft, and her body was sleekly toned. Her touch was electrifying, and I never wanted the moment to end.

She smiled and drew me close to her body. As our bodies met, the lines of flesh that separated us seemed to meld, and there was no distinction to where my body was apart from hers. I then realized that my abdomen was inside hers, and I felt such a thrill of euphoria that made sexual gratification seem painful in comparison. The sensation was overwhelming, and I could tell by looking into her eyes that she was purposefully giving me this pleasure. She placed her lips on mine, and our bodies became one as the intoxicating euphoria increased beyond explanation.

After what seemed like hours, it was time for everyone to go home. I didn't know where home was, but I understood that each couple had a private place to go that was away from everyone else. My young woman took me by the hand to lead me home, and I understood that we were going to make love when we got there. I couldn't imagine what that meant, because I had already experienced far more intimacy and euphoria than I could comprehend. She held my hand and walked ahead of me on a soft, sandy path through the forest that smelled so sweet and had such beauty and colors that I had never seen before. I was in wonder of my surroundings. We seemed to be miles from anyone else when she turned to me with her smile and gazing eyes. She took both my hands and drew me close. I was captivated by her beauty. Her nose was nearly touching mine. I felt her breath inside my mouth. She never blinked, and it was then that I recognized her.
Thursday, February 14, 4:45 AM

What a night! Well, you now know what transpired in the past six months that got me to this place. The world will tumble into a nuclear holocaust if I don't prevent it. Life will cease to exist as we know it. The only survivors will be the tribes that have lived in the jungles and rain forests for thousands of years. This has fallen on my shoulders, and I finally know how to prevent it. There are several pitfalls, and I'm not guaranteed success any more than Babe Ruth was guaranteed a home run every time he stepped up to bat. I have to do something that I have never done before. In fact, I don't think any other human who ever lived on this planet has done this before. I don't know how much time I have, but I need to make sure that I can do this.

As serious as all this sounds, it is Valentine's Day, and I need to make a special breakfast. Evelyn will be in the kitchen around 6:00, so I had better get started. It has been ages since I made Belgian waffles, so I think today would be a great day to surprise her with one of her favorites. I have fresh blueberries and raspberries that I can use to top the waffles and lots of pure maple syrup. I always think that waffles need a pound of bacon, so that's what we'll have to accompany the puffy confections. This is a two pot of coffee day for sure.

I had hidden a bouquet of roses in my office upstairs and ran up to retrieve them while Evelyn was in the shower getting ready for work. I had a box of her favorite chocolate to give her before she left for the day. I was sorry that I had been so distracted, but I did take the time to make her a custom card for her to enjoy. It was a bit risqué, but she often found my cards amusing. At least I hadn't forgotten.

6:03 AM

We have a great waffle iron that makes beautiful Belgian waffles. The smell and taste of the yeast is reminiscent of a donut, and the fruit with powdered sugar and syrup are enough to send me into a diabetic parched thirst. Oh well, it's just the sacrifice that I am willing to make for my beloved wife. Evelyn was pleasantly surprised to find two huge Belgian waffles stacked on her plate with six strips of bacon. The berries were cascading down the side of the stack with plenty of powdered sugar like snow on top, and syrup was running around the edge of her plate. A steaming cup of coffee with cream was placed before her, and I actually got a smile out of her this morning. Had the storm clouds lifted from her mood? Not really, but she did appreciate the breakfast.

I proceeded to tell her about the direction that I received last night. I naturally left out some of the intimate details, but when you realize who it was, it makes better sense. I'll explain all of that later. She listened intently as I described my adversary. She got really concerned and slipped into denial for a while, but I soon lifted her back out of that. I really knew who I was dealing with, and he was far worse than I originally anticipated. I told her my plan, and she thought it sounded impossible. Of course it does. It has never been done before.

7:30 AM

Evelyn had just left for work. I slumped down on the couch with my fourth cup of coffee. I reflected on my experience that I had last night. It was more vivid than my current reality. My success wasn't nearly as important as my attempt. I knew that no one else would see it that way. I was responsible to do my best to carry out the mission that I was given. That's all that mattered, even if I failed to prevent nuclear war. That may sound strange, but we are called to act in obedience to our task. Doing nothing is the worst that we can do. As I've said before, people who don't make mistakes aren't doing anything.

I have been given something, and I need to learn how to use it. In the beginning, I was receiving so many thoughts, and I misinterpreted what I was experiencing. I hoped that I wouldn't do that with my new knowledge. Actually, the knowledge isn't really new. It's just new to me being a descendant. I'm not sure how much of this I am supposed to disclose. There are certain things that I'm not allowed to say, but there's a good reason for that. It could create an unrecoverable mayhem that would destroy my chances.

I had a lot to discuss with Eddie. I had bought some time by causing the destruction of the vials, but manufacturing was still in progress. I may have a couple of weeks to hone my new skill, but that's about it. I can practice this with Eddie. He's going to laugh, because he thought of this long ago. I decided to turn my attention to work for the next couple of hours to give him time to wake up in Idaho.

11:45 AM

Time had gotten away from me as it often does when I'm engrossed in my projects. I decided to pause and give Eddie a call. We had a lot to discuss, and he was bound to find what I had to say to be very interesting. He was working when I called, but he said that he had some time to talk. I explained my dream that I had last night. When I got to the part about recognizing her, Eddie interrupted, "Did you tell Evelyn all of this?"

"Goodness, no! She would have interpreted it as a dream signifying that I wasn't satisfied with our relationship. It had nothing to do with her."

"OK, good, because I can see where she might get upset. That's quite a dream, actually!"

"Oh, it was quite a dream all right. The thing is, it seemed more real than being awake. I mean, when she turned around and looked into my eyes, I was entranced. She drew so close that her breath was in my mouth, and then she looked down to draw my eyes toward her abdomen. That's when I saw the silver umbilicus from her navel to mine. She looked back up to gaze into my eyes, and she never blinked. She can't blink. Blinking is a sign of weakness and change. She has no weakness, and she never changes. She created me, and that's why we are so intimate."

"Wait a minute. What do you mean she created you? I thought the Creator was the one responsible for that."

"She is the Creator, Eddie. The Creator has no real gender. We affix gender to the Creator in order to relate to the person. She chose to reveal herself to me as a woman last night. Previously, she chose to reveal herself as a mirror image of me. I think she was showing me just how intimate we really are using the analogy of a man and a woman. When we danced together, she enabled me to do things I never dreamed that I could do, and it was all so easy and natural. The intimacy was incredible."

"Are you telling me that you had sex with the Creator? Didn't this experience make you feel unfaithful to Evelyn?"

"Heavens, no! Sex has no bearing on what I experienced. It's just that sex is the ultimate that we can relate to as descendants. She showed me that there is an intimacy that far exceeds any earthly experience. In the very least, she endeared me more to Evelyn than ever. That's what she would want."

"I still can't get used to you referring to the Creator as a female."

"Why not? He's a father, and she's a mother, and we are espoused to the Creator. We have been described as the bride of the anointed. They are one and the same. The close relationship of parent to child and bride to husband are metaphorical to help us understand just how intimate we are."

"Whew! It's going to take me some time to get used to that."

"I wish you would experience it. It's indescribable."

"Sure sounds like it, Adriel."

"Once I realized who she was, she led me further along the sandy path. I was so enthralled with her beauty that it was overwhelming. Her body was amazing."

"There you go with the sex thing again."

"No, no, you don't get it. She was incredibly desirable. You need to relate that with the Creator. It's not about sex. Anyway, we finally got to the place that was understood to be home."

"Was this the fifth dimension where souls go when they ascend?"

"I really have no idea where I was, Eddie. I never thought about it. It was perfect. She picked up a golden bowl. Remember the bowl that I explained when I had the other experience, the one that I wasn't allowed to look into?"

"Yeah, I remember that. Did you get to see what was in the bowl?"

"I did, and I realized why I never got to see it before."

"Why was that, and why were you now able to look into it?"

"The bowl contains my entire earthly life from birth to death. I got to see the whole thing."

"So, when are you going to ascend?"

"I can't tell you that, Eddie. There are lots of things I am not allowed to reveal. It's what I am able to reveal that is of great concern."

"Then what can you reveal?"

"It has to do with our mission to prevent nuclear war. Remember the Black Hole that I referred to?"

"Of course I do, Adriel. Do you know why you can't read his mind?"

"I do, and it's important that I don't read his mind."

"Why's that?"

"I told you that I thought we knew him somehow. We actually do, but there is a complication. I need to explain this, because you need to know what and who we are dealing with here. This is far worse than I anticipated."

"I don't think I'm going to like the sound of this, Adriel."

"I'm sure you won't. The actual person is someone who belonged to one of the prescendant groups that had plans to control the world. His ambition exceeded others, and he was approached by someone very sinister after his descent."

"Who approached him?"

"I'm not allowed to say his name. He is one of seven who possess great power on earth. They were part of the group of overseers long ago, but they defected."

"Only seven overseers defected?"

"Oh no. They are the seven overlords of the entire group that defected. I have been given their names, because their power is in their names."

"What are their names?"

"I'm not allowed to say or write their names, or they will immediately find me. The only thing protecting me is the fact that I can't read the Black Hole. If I did, he would find me and destroy me quickly."

"How many overseers in all defected?"

"Strangely, I know the answer to that. It was 200 million."

"Really! How many overseers are there in total?"

"Another interesting bit of information that I somehow know at this point. There were about 600 million total overseers from the start."

"Then roughly a third of them defected?"

"Yes, about one-third!"

"That's interesting, because there are over seven billion people on earth right now, and that's not nearly one overseer per person."

"True, Eddie. Overseers aren't necessarily designated to just one descendant, and I would imagine that there could be multiple overseers per descendant as well. It isn't a one to one correspondence."

"Who else knows the names of the seven overlords of the defected overseers?"

"I'm not sure, but the Creator and the overseers know them."

"What about the descendant who was approached? Does he know?"

"He knows at least one, and that's why he has given up his will to be inhabited by this fallen overseer."

"Adriel, this is getting really spooky."

"You haven't heard anything yet. If this one gets to play out all that he intends, he will control the world."

"Are you talking about the Antichrist, Adriel?"

"Well, that's what he would like to appear to be. The antichrist is a misunderstanding that most people have. They have personified an individual whom they believe will rule the world. That's not really what the antichrist is, as we have discussed in the past several years. He wants to appear as the one who fulfills the misconception that most people have."

"Why does he want to fulfill a misconception?"

"It's all part of the deceptive process. If people have an individual to focus on, they will miss the real meaning of the antichrist. It's much like the terrorist bombings that capture everyone's attention while the real threat exists out of sight."

"Are you supposed to stop him from ruling the world? Is that what this nuclear holocaust thing is all about?"

"Well, sort of, except that I can't stop him. I can possibly thwart nuclear war and foil his current plans, but I can't take him out."

"OK, I'm trying to understand. Then you're saying that as long as you don't say or write his name, he doesn't know who you are?"

"Precisely, Eddie! I am a black hole to him as well."

"Interesting! What was the deal with the water ballet, anyway?"

"You'd really have to experience it. The best I can describe it was an incredible experience of being part of total harmony with a group and experiencing a balanced, loving, functional relationship with no strife or fear. I think she was showing me what it feels like to be part of the bigger picture. It was amazing."

"Are you going to refer to the Creator as 'she' from now on?"

"I don't know, Eddie, but I know I am in love. I really don't know how else to put it. She makes me want to be the best I can be. I just want to please her."

"So, where do we go from here, Adriel?"

"Well, she taught me something that you're going to enjoy. I need to practice it with you before I use it on the operatives who are responsible for the coup."

"Uh, I don't have to take my clothes off, do I?"

"Haha! Absolutely not! What she taught me has nothing to do with being there with her. It has to do with being here as a descendant."

"OK, good, because I was about to pass this one up."

"No, no! In fact, you had this idea a while back before we ever went to Orlando."

"Really? What idea was that?"

"Remember when you wanted me to try to project a thought into your mind?"

"Uh, vaguely, but I think it didn't work."

"You're right. It didn't. I didn't know how to do it. As prescendants we communicated through thought, and it was impossible to lie. The reason for that was because we were totally transparent, and we were all in receptive mode, so we were reading each other's thoughts. On this earthly plane, we don't have that transparency. Therefore we can't read each other."

"But you are able to read others."

"True, Eddie, but they can't read me."

"Are you going to give others the ability to read your mind?"

"Not exactly! I won't be transparent to anyone, although they are transparent to me. However, I can interject thoughts into their minds as though it originated with their own brains and souls."

"So, you can communicate telepathically now?"

"Well, sort of, but not really. I can interject thoughts, which is a little different. It won't appear to be coming from me. I can fabricate any thought that I want and make it look like it was their own idea."

"Are you going to do this with me now?"

"If you have time. I know you're working today."

"Oh no, no, Adriel! I have plenty of time. I have to see how this works."

"OK, are you ready?"

"Sure, but first I wanted to let you know that I'm sending you a check for $10,000. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have landed this government contract, and it more than compensates for any expenditures that I have had from Orlando to Boise. It just seems fair. Anyway, I just wanted you to know that. OK, go ahead and interject a thought into my brain!"

"I already did."

"It must not be working, Adriel, because I didn't get it."

"Oh, yes you did. That idea for the $10,000 check came from me, not you."

"No, no! I had that idea earlier before we started talking."

"Actually, you didn't. I just made you think you did."

"No way! I remember deciding to send you a check before you ever called me."

"Well, I implanted the memory into your brain. You never considered it until now."

"That's impossible! That was my idea. It's only fair to share the money with you."

"OK, first of all, please do not send me a check. Secondly, you have just been duped by an interjected thought complete with prior memory that never existed before I just sent it to you."

"Are you telling me that you can send memories as though they were past, but never existed?"

"I just did. What do you think?"

"Are you now telling me what I think?"

"Not now!"

"Well, then I think this is amazing! You're truly dangerous, my friend."

"I could be, but I'm not going to do anything that my Creator doesn't want me to do. I think she waited to woo me before she gave me this power. It's easy to abuse, but I won't do it."

"Oh boy! I can't wait to see how you handle the players in this game. This is going to be interesting. You have to write all of this down. Seriously, Adriel, you should write a book."

"I'll write it down for us, but I'm not writing a book and admitting anything that I can do. It's too dangerous."

"You could use a pen name, Adriel."

"Don't be naive. Anyone can find out who the real author is these days. When this is all over, I'm returning to my obscure life."

"So, what's the plan? How are you going to start? Can you interject thoughts into the Black Hole guy?"

"No, no! I can't interface with him in any way. I'm going to have to target everyone else, but I need some time to figure out when, who, and how I plan to do this. I need to get back to work right now, but maybe you and I can brainstorm later. Give it some thought, and we'll discuss it."

"Certainly, Adriel! This is starting to sound like fun."

"I'm glad you think so. It sounds like walking a high wire over the Grand Canyon to me. I'll talk to you later."

"OK, but I still feel like I should send you a check."

"Don't you dare, Eddie. I won't cash it. Goodbye!"

4:30 PM

I need to choose something for dinner tonight. I just had a great idea this afternoon on how I can test this new skill on Evelyn to give her an idea that she would never have in a million years. In addition to my idea, I think I'll fix something tonight that she doesn't care for and make her think that it's great. That would be another good test. I have to agree with Eddie, this can be a little fun. She always dreads it when I insist that she eat Brussels sprouts. I'll make a side dish of it without any olive oil, balsamic, garlic, or Parmesan. I'll just steam it and serve it. We'll see how my other plan goes as well. This should be entertaining.

6:05 PM

Evelyn had returned from work and was in the bedroom changing her clothes. I had just finished dinner and called to her. "Evelyn, dinner is ready." She had no idea what I was serving.

About three minutes later, Evelyn sauntered into the kitchen and spied the side dish. "Oh, good! I was hoping you'd fix Brussels sprouts this evening. I have really developed quite a taste for them. I guess your insistence that I eat them has finally paid off."

"Maybe! I'm glad you are excited."

"Actually, I really am. I would have been disappointed if you served anything else. I have been thinking about this for days. Thank you, dear."

So far, so good! "How was your day at the office?"

"Oh, same as usual! You know, Adriel, I have been thinking for about a month now that we need to hire a nice, young, cute French maid to clean up around here. You are so busy with work and fixing dinner, and I thought it would be great to have someone here with you during the day who could clean house."

"Wow! That sounds great. Why a French maid?"

"Well, they wear those cute little outfits, and you've always wanted to brush up on your French. I thought maybe she could spend some time with you during the day to exercise your vocabulary. Besides, she would be pleasant to look at while you're studying with her."

OK, you can see why I had to stop it here. All I did was introduce the French maid thought. She took the idea and ran with it, which I never expected. This was a great experiment, because I learned just how powerful this can be. It took me an hour and a half to explain to Evelyn that she didn't like Brussels sprouts, and she really didn't want a cute, young, French maid in the house while I was home and she was away at work. I was reluctant to explain my new power, but I was afraid if I didn't she would be interviewing French maids the rest of the week. I did let her entertain the Brussels sprouts though, even though I confessed my interjection. What really amazed me is that Eddie and Evelyn both couldn't get it out of their heads that it was their idea long before the conversation. The memory interjection was not only a nice touch, but it really sealed the thought on the mind. It was a good test. If I had even jokingly mentioned having a French maid in the house before today, Evelyn would have exploded in fury, even if she thought I was joking.

10:30 PM

Evelyn and I had just turned out the lights to go to sleep. I couldn't stop my mind from analyzing this new power. I knew that I couldn't interfere with anyone's free will, but I could orchestrate perceived circumstances that were very convincing. Remember when I once said that I believed that anyone would do anything under the right circumstances? Well, it appeared that I could manipulate people into doing most anything, or so it seemed. A housewife may not ever consider killing someone, but if her children's lives were at stake and it was either her children or the one threatening them who had to die, she would most likely kill the perpetrator. I had been given parameters. I wasn't allowed to cost someone his life. I wasn't allowed to interfere with free will. I wasn't allowed to use this power for my own earthly gain. It was a powerful tool to be used judiciously and with caution.

Just then, I thought of another great test. I focused on Eddie. He and Angela were having dinner at a nice restaurant. I put a thought into Eddie's head to scan the room and make a mental note of where everyone was who was within sight. I could read his mind, and I no longer needed email to communicate. I could control situations from the comfort of my own bed. There was a young couple having dinner at a table about eight feet away from Eddie and Angela. I started my test.

Eddie looked over at Angela and asked, "Do you like magic tricks?"

Angela straightened her back, folded her hands, and her eyes lit up as she exclaimed, "I love magic shows and tricks. Do you know any?"

Eddie carefully instructed her, "Let's try something. I want to you to silently think of a ridiculous argument that the couple over there at that table could have that would make no sense. Don't tell me what it is."

I could read Angela's mind, and I readily went to work. I planted a thought and a memory into the couple at the next table. All at once, the man spoke up and said to his mate, "I can't believe that you think root beer suckers are the best. Everyone knows that licorice is far better than any other flavor."

The lady rebutted, "How disgusting! Licorice was not meant for suckers. Root beer is the best flavor in the world. Everyone knows that."

Angela nearly came out of her seat. She leaned over the table and demanded from Eddie in a loud whisper, "How did you do that?"

Eddie nonchalantly responded, "I didn't do anything. You caused that."

Angela was dumbfounded. My experiment worked famously. By now, the couple at the next table were in a heated debate about the flavor of suckers, and Angela was in a terrible state of confusion. It was time for phase two of my experiment. I implanted memories into the couple and Angela that they had just had a very vivid daydream. All went silent. I let Eddie know what was happening via an interjected thought explaining that I had just conducted another experiment and that everyone now thought it was a daydream.

Eddie couldn't resist and asked Angela, "What's on your mind?"

"I just had the most ridiculous thought that you wanted to play a magic trick."

I left them to their conversation and began reviewing the incident. A fantastic idea struck me, and I thought of a tactic that seemed ingenious. I would discuss it with Eddie tomorrow.

## **CHAPTER NINE**

### **_Invasion_**
Friday, February 15, 4:12 AM

I hated when I awoke about an hour before I intended to get up. I knew that if I fell back to sleep I would want to sleep for a couple more hours. Instead, I eased out of bed, hoping not to awaken Evelyn. I went out to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Evelyn wouldn't be up for another hour, so I sat on the back porch in the dark, sipping my coffee, and reflecting on all of the events that had transpired over the last six months. I was disappointed that I had been impatient and had moved forward without the proper direction. This was hindsight, but I needed to learn something.

A few months ago, I thought it was necessary to communicate with world leaders via email, because I couldn't imagine any other way to learn what I needed to help prevent nuclear war. I stirred up a conflict in South Asia and jeopardized Eddie's and my freedom. What if I had waited to receive what I have now? I could have been completely undetected in my efforts to learn what I needed to know. What benefit did I get from discovering the nuclear armaments, ASTROSAT, the coup, and the viruses? Was it really necessary to know these details, or did they just alarm me and cloud my faith and judgment? The whole email fiasco could have been avoided, and world leaders would never have been aware of my existence. What other mistakes was I making at this point?

I received no chastisement from the Creator, just love and acceptance. However, I was the one being critical of myself. I'm not perfect, but just like Evelyn said, I can't afford to be anything less. Or can I? Am I really expected to be infallible? That's unrealistic. We all make mistakes, and they all have consequences that we have to live with, but in the grand scheme of things, is it really as devastating as we perceive? My call was to be obedient to a task, not to necessarily be successful. I can't guarantee success, but I can guarantee my actions to carry out the orders that I have. My success largely depends on the Creator. His will is going to be accomplished. The question is, will I be a part of that? Yes, I have reverted back to the male gender for the Creator due to popular perception, but she will always be my most intimate lover.

Eddie could shut down his communications post. I no longer needed him to convey any thoughts to the leaders of this world. I wondered if he would return or stay in Boise. No matter! I did need to bounce ideas off of him. He helped me see things from a better perspective. Oh, how I wish I would have waited longer before acting. How often do we jump the gun and try to execute the will of the Creator without waiting for his provision? From what I have read, it's fairly common.

The only aspect of my impulsiveness that I could accept is the fact that Eddie had met Angela. That event alone seemed to make it all worthwhile. They were truly in love, and I have never seen Eddie this happy during the decades that I have known him. Every time I thought of the two of them, it made me smile. What a great couple they were. From the moment that they met, I had a premonition that something wonderful was happening. I still believed that. I expected that I would be receiving a wedding invitation in the near future if all of my efforts were successful to prevent nuclear war. I knew that I wouldn't be the best man, but that didn't disappoint me in the least. I was so happy for them.

6:00 AM

Evelyn had settled on hard boiled eggs and bacon for breakfast with lots of steaming Columbian coffee. She was still suggesting that we look into hiring a French maid. I just laughed it off and reminded her that it wasn't her idea and that it had been part of a test. That brought another question to my mind. Was I creating indelible thoughts and memories for others? I could see this as a plus and a minus. I was anxious to talk to Eddie to see what he thought. I tried to get as much work done as I could before Eddie would be available. We needed to talk, and this could take quite a while.

11:30 AM

I knew that Eddie was awake and had started working from Idaho. I also knew that he wasn't too busy. Reading minds is sometimes convenient, but mostly scary. I gave him a call. "Hey, Eddie! Do you have time to talk?"

"Sure, Adriel! I've been doing a lot of thinking about your new skill. It appears that you have a wide range of options."

"Good, but before we begin, I wanted to ask if you still felt like the $10,000 check was your idea."

"Well, it seems to be wearing off, although the thought lingers as a nagging memory. It's hard to explain. At least at this point, I would probably recognize that it wasn't my rational thinking that instigated the thought."

"Interesting! I was just curious how long the effects of the thought intrusion would last."

I took the next several minutes explaining to Eddie the test that I did with Evelyn about the French maid. He nearly fell out of his chair laughing and said that he could never imagine Evelyn entertaining such an idea. He then commended me on my test that I had performed with him and Angela at the restaurant. It was truly a learning experience. He was also amazed that I could pass the whole thing off to the others as a daydream. It was frightening to consider the possibilities.

"Eddie, as you stated, there seems to be quite a wide range of options with this new skill that I have acquired. I'm just not sure where to start."

"Well, I was thinking that maybe you should start with the scientists who are manufacturing the virus and cause them to make mistakes that would produce something benign."

"That thought did cross my mind, but I'm afraid that introducing that sort of incompetence might get them killed, and I'm not allowed to cost someone his life."

"You don't know for sure that it would cost a life. You're just surmising at this point."

"No, Eddie, after getting to know the players involved, I'm pretty sure it would result in their deaths. We have a lot of other options."

"OK, I also thought that you could alert the leaders of India, Pakistan, and the U. S. about the coup. Earlier you were concerned that you couldn't convince them that it was true, but now you can make them think that they discovered it on their own."

"Good thinking! That definitely is a viable option. However, I'm afraid that they couldn't move quickly enough to thwart the plan. There are thousands of operatives distributed throughout the world. Finding them would take a considerable amount of time, and by then the memory virus would have been distributed."

"What if you made the ones responsible for the coup think that the virus was distributed when it really wasn't? Or, you could still cause them to make mistakes manufacturing the virus and also make them think that there was an aspect of the virus communication that they didn't consider which made it ineffective."

"Hmm... that's not a bad idea! That way no one would be executed for incompetence. The virus would end up being benign. It would look like an oversight that would take time to research and buy more time for me and others to ferret out the infiltration of operatives throughout the world. This is worth entertaining."

"I had another idea. What if you caused all of the managers who report to the Black Hole to rat him out and turn him in?"

"That's another possibility that would require some tricky timing. I'm a little concerned that I can't read this guy, and the fact that I'm a black hole to him makes me wonder if he can read minds as well. That could be a dangerous move."

"Do you really think he has that capability, Adriel?"

"I don't know for sure, but I was told if I spoke or wrote his name, he would find me immediately. That's sure sounds like some sort of superhuman radar to me."

"If that's true, then he's probably monitoring everyone's thoughts closer than you are, and he will detect your intervention."

"Wow! I really hadn't thought of that. I still have too many unknown aspects at this point."

"You never do have all of the answers, Adriel. I wonder if you should wait for further direction."

"You may be right, but I'm not so sure that I will get any more than I already have, and I don't want to wait around when I need to act."

"I've heard you say that before. I wonder if it's really a good idea."

"I don't know, Eddie, but I'd rather take action and clean up my mess than do nothing and miss a golden opportunity."

"Maybe! Let's think on this for a few days and talk again. We may be able to come up with something within the parameters that we have just discussed."

"Sounds good. We do have a few days to think it through."

"Oh, by the way, Adriel, I have to fly home this weekend. I booked a Sunday evening flight. There's a mandatory meeting in person at my office on Monday. Why don't we meet at the restaurant on Monday evening to talk?"

"Uh, sure, I can do that."

"OK, talk to you later."

I had forgotten to mention my idea of infiltrating the mind reading studies that were being conducted by India and the U. S. I thought about making it appear that their research and testing were successful by planting thoughts and reading minds. I wasn't sure what good this would do, but it was entertaining in the very least. However, I needed to concentrate on some real solutions.

It seemed a lot simpler a few hours ago, but now that Eddie and I have had time to discuss it, it could be harder than I originally anticipated. At this point, I wish I could ask you what you thought, but you came along just a little too late. I thought I knew how to do this, and basically I do. I just don't know yet specifically what the plan should be. This Black Hole, overseer, overlord was a real problem. If it weren't for him, this would be cake and pie. I had an idea. I needed to test the water before jumping in. After Evelyn goes to sleep tonight I will target one of the managers who reports to the Black Hole and start toying with his mind. I'll see if it stirs up anything from the Black Hole. If not, I may be in the clear to mess with his managers. I just need to be careful not to get anyone killed.

Another nasty thought occurred to me. There are seven overlords and 200 million of their minions. I was probably being naive to think that only this one overlord was involved in such a major operation which would result in him controlling the world and fulfilling the public's erroneous misconception of the Antichrist. This was surely only the tip of the iceberg. The matter should be approached as an all out war in another dimension. The realization was forming that it was essential to utilize all of my powers and knowledge of my prescendant state to accomplish my task. I didn't have the luxury of going about this haphazardly. All of this had been revealed to me for a good reason. I had oversimplified the problem and the solution. I needed time to think and meditate. Who knows, maybe I'll get to spend another night with "her." I could only hope.

10:30 PM

Evelyn had just fallen asleep. I tried to find the lead lab technician that I had previously contacted to cause the destruction of the vials taken from the body fluids of the prisoners. I couldn't locate him. It appeared that I had cost another person his life with my email activity. I tried to think of something that I could plant into one of the manager's minds who worked for the Black Hole. I needed something that would cause the overlord to react where I might be able to read him through the manager. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed that anything that I did that caused a reaction would most likely result in an execution. Therefore, I decided to abandon my earlier idea and see if I could make contact with the Creator again.

I wasn't sure how to accomplish this, because I really never initiated contact before. I tried meditating on our time that we spent together. I could tell that I was slipping into an alpha state, and I was afraid that I would just fall asleep. It wasn't working. I was either going to lie awake or go to sleep. Then again, I wasn't sure that my entire experience hadn't been a vivid dream. Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. I had everything that I needed to determine what I had to do.

I shifted my focus to my conversations that I had with Eddie six months ago. I had explained our prescendant state to him and how we mingled with others. That's where we met the guy who was now inhabited by the overlord. He was very influential and had quite a following as a prescendant. I was sure that others had negotiated to descend during the same time on earth. I wasn't sure who they were, but I suspicioned that they were part of his organization to overthrow the government in Pakistan and other nations. I wondered where the other six overlords came into play. Surely they were part of this somehow. This was all very fuzzy to me.

I started thinking about our negotiations and how we couldn't remember them. Those who didn't descend immediately after their negotiation were kept apart from us. We never got to mingle with anyone who had completed a negotiation. I deduced that it was because they had knowledge that we weren't allowed to have before our own negotiation. It seemed so strange. Why couldn't we remember our agreements? We watched so many souls descend to earth at the point of conception, but we couldn't observe them until birth. Each remained in the mother's womb while the embryo developed, and he gradually forgot his former existence. Just then, an idea struck me. It seemed truly bizarre, but it was worth a try. I needed to do some research and talk to Eddie.

I slipped out of bed and went into the office to access my computer. I had to determine an important aspect of the descended soul. I searched for embryonic brain development. It was the brain that inhibited the soul from extra dimensional thinking. I learned that the human brain didn't begin development until the third gestational week. That's fairly early in the process, but that means until the third week, the embryonic soul had two weeks to digest what he learned in the negotiation process. He wouldn't forget until the brain started developing and robbing him of his prescendant memory.

I returned to bed, trying not to disturb Evelyn. Her light snore interrupted for a few seconds when I slipped back into bed but soon returned once I was still. I wasn't sure if I was on the right track, but at least I had a plan. I lay in the dark on my back contemplating my next move until I finally fell asleep.
Saturday, February 16, 11:00 AM

I had mentioned nothing to Evelyn at breakfast about my intentions. She would think my plan was too weird, and I had to admit, even I wasn't sure if this wasn't a little crazy. Nonetheless, I think I'm capable of doing this, and I don't see any reason not to pursue it. I had waited until Eddie was awake in Idaho. I imagined that he would be packing up and coming back home soon. He hadn't made any plans yet, but his work in Idaho was finished. I shook my head when I began thinking of how senseless it was to go to Orlando or Boise, but I reminded myself that it was really all about Angela.

Eddie was awake, so I dialed his number. "Good morning, Eddie! I need to discuss something with you that I thought about last night."

"Sure, Adriel! What's up?"

"Remember when I told you about the negotiation process and how we couldn't remember any of it as descended souls?"

"Sure, just like it was yesterday."

"Well, I got to thinking about why we couldn't remember the negotiation event. I have an idea that there was a lot more disclosed to us at that time in order for us to negotiate our lives with complete knowledge. I'll explain why I think that. Think back to when you began to realize that the institutions of organized religion were inherently wrong."

"Sure, we have discussed this at length in the past."

"Remember how you first thought that you must be the one who was out of step?"

"I sure do. At first you try to fit their square peg into the round hole. Their teaching isn't sound, and it doesn't measure up to absolute Truth."

"Exactly! Now think about the time that you first realized that you had been correct all along, and you finally forsook their meetings and teachings."

"OK."

"What was it that convinced you they were wrong?"

"Well, somehow I just knew that what they were teaching couldn't possibly be right. Not only was it contradictory and didn't make sense, but they were hypocritical and didn't live what they taught."

"Yes, but it's the 'somehow' that I want to focus on. How did you know they were wrong?"

"Because I'm a Truth seeker, and I recognize what is not Truth."

"True, but you had to have some prior knowledge of Truth. I think we all did. It's just that some of us stayed in tune with it, while others forsook it due to influences from this world."

"I can buy that, Adriel."

"I have an idea. If we were given knowledge of absolute Truth during our negotiations before we descended, then a soul who first descends would have this knowledge until the brain developed and robbed the soul of the memory of the negotiation process."

"OK, I follow you."

"Well, since I can read the minds of descendants, I was wondering what I might find if I read the mind of someone who was just conceived. The brain doesn't begin development until the third week of gestation. So, if I find someone in the first two weeks of the embryonic state, I can read his mind and learn what we had forgotten."

"Whoa! Have you started drinking again?"

"Goodness no! I'm dead serious here. What do you think?"

"That sounds really creepy. How are you going to find an embryonic soul in the first two weeks? Most mothers aren't aware that they are pregnant until after that point."

"I'm not sure yet, but I will have to find couples who are trying to have a child, I guess."

"So, you're going to home in on people's sex lives? It's really sounding creepy now."

"Well, I need to find them somehow. Do you have any suggestions?"

"What about clinics that do artificial insemination? You could monitor those mothers to detect conception, I suppose."

"Now that's not a bad idea, Eddie! I could find potential mothers who are planning a pregnancy and monitor them to see if a descended soul has been sent."

"Creepy, Adriel, but I guess it would work."

"Thanks, Eddie. I always appreciate bouncing ideas off of you. I need to do some more research. I'll let you know what I find out."

"OK, but I wouldn't mention this to Evelyn if I were you."

"Oh, heavens no! She already thinks I'm weird. I'm not pouring gasoline on that fire."

2:00 PM

Evelyn had gone shopping, so I started my research to find fertility clinics. Once I made some initial inquiries and contacted the clinicians, I could then periodically monitor them to find potential candidates for embryos. Three clinics were selected. Any descended soul would work for me. I just needed one within the first two weeks of descent. I soon realized that comparing three different accounts would be best. Comparisons of what the souls knew would be invaluable, especially if any differences were detected. My curiosity and excitement were growing to learn what was long ago forgotten. I just hoped I wouldn't be disappointed. In the end, it turned out to be far more than I anticipated.

I was going to wait until Monday after Evelyn went to work to make some calls and get contacts who would lead me to prospective mothers. They all had weekend hours, but I didn't want any distractions, and if Evelyn knew what I was doing, she would most likely be disgusted. Once I made the initial contacts, I would have all that I needed. I could monitor the patients one week after their insemination to check if a soul was found attached to an embryo.

I made the rounds of the operatives in the coup to see what the status was. The virus was being manufactured, and a team of engineers was working on the vaccine. There hadn't been any changes in the conditions, and I supposed that the Black Hole was furious that the first wave of virus serum had been destroyed. At least I had time to do some research. I was fairly certain that there was more to the coup than met the eye.

The Creator had told me essentials that I needed to know, but I had to do some digging to understand the true scope of the challenge. He doesn't spoon feed us. He expects us to take the information we have and use it as a tool to springboard our knowledge of what is necessary. It reminded me of graduating from college and getting my first job. Once I was in my first professional position, I wondered if college taught me anything. College had taught me how to learn. It wasn't responsible to teach me everything I needed to know to do my job. Our responsibility to learn never ends. Only those who will question and go beyond the surface will find Truth. Eddie and I both realized that long ago.
Monday, February 18, 9:05 AM

Evelyn was at work, and I decided to contact the three clinics to get a list of names of women who would be artificially inseminated today. This felt really strange, but no better ideas came to mind. I made my first call. "Good morning, I was calling to see what time my wife's appointment was scheduled for insemination today. Her name is Joan Redding." Liar, liar, pants on fire.

"Just a moment, Mr. Redding!" I started jotting names as fast as I could along with the appointment times. I could read everything the receptionist was reading. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't see your wife's name on the list."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I apologized, "I must have dialed the wrong clinic. Thank you for your time."

Well, I now had ten names of potential mothers on my list. It was time to call the other two clinics, but before I did, I decided to read the thoughts of the ten women that I had just found. I took the next hour making the rounds and learning what I could. A little thought interjection prompted the subjects that interested me. Seven of the women were taking fertility drugs. I made a note of that next to their names on my sheet of paper.

I followed up with the other two clinics to end up with a total of thirty women, twenty-two of which were taking fertility drugs. I decided to focus more intently on the women with fertility drugs since that would raise the chances of conception. I was hoping for at least three successes. I hated to pry into people's personal lives, but I needed some relevant information to finish tying up the loose ends that were frustrating me.

4:00 PM

I was finally done working for the day and decided to fix something for Evelyn to eat tonight since I was meeting Eddie at the restaurant. It had been quite a while since we had seen Noriko, and I was anxious to hear what was happening in her life. I had to leave in about an hour and a half, so I decided to stuff some green peppers, because this was one of Evelyn's favorites. There would be enough for her to take with her to work for lunch during the week.

Two fresh green peppers were halved and the seeds and membranes removed. I found a nice baking dish for the peppers and buttered the bottom to prevent them from sticking. It was time to make the stuffing. One pound of fresh ground turkey went into a bowl. Next, some onion, garlic, celery, and carrot were minced and added to the turkey. There was a container of chicken broth in the refrigerator with about three cups left, which was heated in a saucepan to reduce it to a quarter of a cup. This would add a significant amount of flavor. Salt, pepper, oregano, and basil were mixed in along with the broth, Parmesan cheese, and tomato paste. I decided to add some diced tomato to help cut the protein to keep the stuffing tender. After the peppers were filled, they were placed in the oven at 375 degrees. Evelyn could take them out of the oven when she got home. I just needed to add one final touch to top the peppers. Tomato paste, Tamari, stevia, salt, pepper, malt vinegar, garlic powder, and onion powder were mixed to form a smooth paste to smear on top of the peppers just before I left.

5:55 PM

It didn't surprise me that Eddie had texted that he was running about fifteen minutes late. It gave me a chance to catch up with Noriko. It was sad to hear that she had filed for a divorce, and her husband had been served the divorce papers earlier that day. Apparently, he was really upset and made some threatening comments to her. She was such a wonderful young lady, and I hated to hear that her life was in an uproar. I knew from the last time that we talked that her bruise had been from her husband striking her. Although she didn't go into much detail tonight, I read it all from her mind, and I was moved to tears which I had to wipe away with my napkin.

Eddie finally came through the door with his laptop over his shoulder. "Sorry I'm late. The stupid meeting ran over, and I couldn't get out of there."

"No problem! I was just talking to Noriko. She filed for a divorce, and it sounds like her husband is really upset."

"No kidding? I didn't realize she was having marital problems."

"Well, you know she doesn't really share much personal stuff with us."

"True. Sorry to hear it though."

"Yeah, me too!"

Eddie had slid into the booth and was removing the strap of his laptop bag from his shoulder. "So, did you call those clinics like you said that you were going to do?"

"I did, and I have a list of thirty names to follow up on in the next few days."

"Wow! You are such a weirdo."

"I know, Eddie. I've done some strange things in my life, for sure."

"Do you really think you're going to learn something from contacting souls who have just descended? How do you know they will remember anything?"

"Well, I really don't know, but from what I understand it's the brain that causes most of the problems with remembering or understanding Truth. No pun intended, but the brain seems to have a mind of its own."

"Then you're still not sure how you're going to stop this freight train? I don't see how talking to a descendant is going to help."

"Well, I'm not exactly talking to him or her. I just want to listen in to see if I might be able to fit more of the puzzle together."

"Yeah, I'm not sure what you could find to help you. You're going to have to stop the distribution of the virus somehow."

"I realize that, but I need more than what I did last time. Besides, they have tightened the controls on their communication, and it appears that the Black Hole has taken more direct responsibility. He isn't trusting anyone at this point."

I looked to my right and saw a young couple seated across the aisle from us. They had just received their bill. I leaned over to Eddie and whispered, "I'm going to implant a thought in that guy across the aisle from me that a fly keeps landing on his left ear." Suddenly the man started swatting at his left ear. Eddie started giggling. I leaned over again and whispered, "Now I'm going to make him think that there is an insect crawling on his back under his shirt." The man started squirming and swatting at his back. All of a sudden, he jumped out of the booth and tore his shirt off. He was dancing around and swatting his back with his torn shirt.

Just then, we heard Noriko shout from the hostess stand, "No shirt, no service! No shirt, no service!"

Eddie fell over sideways in the booth and howled with laughter. I buried my face in my napkin and guffawed. The young man stormed off to the restroom while his mate paid the bill. It took Eddie and I at least five minutes to gain our composure. After the couple left the restaurant, Eddie exclaimed "You're terrible!" He was still wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Hey," I reminded, "I'm not allowed to make personal gain or get anyone killed with this new skill. No one said that I couldn't have a little fun." I suddenly felt a terrible chill. "Wow! It seems really cold in here."

Eddie glanced toward the entrance and turned back to me to explain, "Someone just walked in the door. After all, it is below freezing out there."

My heart leaped. I leaned forward over the table as far as I could and whispered to Eddie, "Eddie! The guy that walked in has a gun."

Eddie jerked his head to look at the man in the doorway. He had a handgun in his right hand, holding it low next to his leg. I immediately read his mind. He was scanning the room. It was Noriko's husband, and he had every intention of killing her.

"Eddie, it's Noriko's husband," I whispered, "He's going to kill her."

The next events happened so quickly that it seemed like a blur. Noriko walked in from the kitchen. The gunman saw her and raised his weapon. Patrons who saw the gun were ducking beneath their tables. Eddie sprang from our booth in an instant and jumped in front of Noriko. He held her behind him with his left hand and put his right hand forward, "Drop the gun. You don't want to go to jail for murder," Eddie insisted.

"So, are you the one who's been having an affair with my wife?" His gun was aimed directly at Eddie.

I knew that Noriko had not been unfaithful to her husband. I eased out of the booth and slowly approached. "Grant, I know you're upset, but you need to understand that your wife never had an affair."

He now pointed the gun at me. "Who are you, and how do you know my name?"

"I know everything about you. My friend is right. You don't want to go to prison for murder. Please put the gun down."

The gunman, Grant, was by the door. Eddie was shielding Noriko about twelve feet away from the gunman. I was about eight feet from both them. We were in a triangle. I read Grant's mind. He was going to kill Eddie and then Noriko. Bang! Bang! Bang! The noise from the shots was deafening. People were screaming and hiding from sight. Instantly, like a tiger pouncing on its prey, Eddie leaped on Grant, wrestled him to the ground, and disarmed him. Noriko ran over to me, and I held her tightly as she buried her head on my chest sobbing uncontrollably.

We could hear the police sirens. Several patrons had notified the authorities as soon as they saw the gun. Eddie had a tight hold on Grant, and he couldn't move. Once the police arrived, they strung the crime scene tape and didn't allow anyone to leave the restaurant. Grant had been apprehended, and Eddie was held by the police in the far corner. I was trying to console Noriko and let her know that the police would need her statement. The police dug three shells out of the woodwork on the wall about two feet to the left of where Eddie and Noriko had been standing. Several witnesses were rounded up along with Eddie, Noriko, and me, and we were all taken to an interrogation facility on a police bus. No one was allowed to talk to one another. I texted Evelyn that I would be very late and would explain when I got home.

As we were being transported, I was reading everyone's mind. It was amazing that out of all of the people who were witnesses, there were about four different stories that they had to tell. Some of them thought that the gunman fired warning shots. A few of the witnesses entertained thoughts that Eddie was some kind of Superman. He had been fired upon at point blank range and lived to subdue the perpetrator. Others thought that the gunman shot at me. I was the only one who knew what really happened, and I couldn't tell anyone. I wasn't even going to tell Eddie. Eddie was still in shock. He was sitting in his seat and staring blindly into space. He was dumbfounded that he was still alive. I knew that Eddie had lately looked forward to his ascension, and he truly thought this might have been his opportunity. I can't say that he was actually disappointed, but he was still ready to leave this earthly plane, nevertheless.

Grant had fully intended to kill Eddie and Noriko. He wasn't going to kill me, because I wasn't in his way. I knew that I had to act fast, so I planted a thought in his mind that caused him to see Eddie standing two feet to the left of where he really was. Grant thought for sure that he had shot Eddie. He couldn't imagine how he had missed. He thought the gun had malfunctioned. It didn't. I only had this new talent for about four days, and if this incident would have happened before that, Eddie would most likely be dead. I was keeping this one to myself.

Here I was waiting to be interrogated, and I was playing the "if" game. If Eddie hadn't had a meeting in town today, Noriko would be dead. If Eddie hadn't suggested that we have dinner at the restaurant, Noriko would be dead. If I didn't have the power to read minds, Noriko would be dead. If I had played my little mind trick on the couple across the aisle from us just five minutes later, Eddie and I would have been laughing and not noticed the gunman. Noriko would be dead. The trauma of the incident had consumed my mind. I had to remind myself that Noriko chose when she was going to die during her negotiation with the Creator, and it obviously was not to be tonight in the restaurant. How the Creator designed the situation to save her life when her estranged husband's free will intended to take her life was just a small part of what he does for us. The credit went to the Creator.

The bus pulled up in front of an obscure brick building. We were all ushered inside to a small waiting room lined with chairs. There were more witnesses than chairs, so some of us stood to let the women have seats. There were about thirty witnesses to be interrogated, and although the interrogator was trying to remain brief, it was taking a considerable amount of time. Most of us who were standing ended up sitting on the floor. We weren't allowed to talk, so an awkward silence pervaded the room.

I was glad that Noriko was going to be fine. I was disappointed that Eddie and I didn't get to discuss my situation a bit longer. I was also upset that I wouldn't get home until late. I was feeling a bit selfish, and I had a real dilemma. I couldn't disclose the fact that I knew what was in the gunman's mind. He truly intended to commit first degree murder, but I knew the defense would play upon the fact that he put the bullets into the wall, intending to kill no one. I was still noticing the thoughts of the witnesses in the room. Some had rapidly changed their stories, and some thought that I was a friend of the gunman because I knew his name. What really appalled me was that the judicial system was going to rely on some of these witnesses, and from what I could tell, none of them really had the facts straight. I pondered the suspicion that witnesses, jurors, prosecutors, police, and judges all fell under the 97% rule. How frightening to fall into the hands of idiots! For the thousands of years that Eddie and I had held the 97% rule, I had yet to see any evidence that it was erroneous.

I was finally called into the interrogation room for questioning. The interrogator was a young blonde woman in plain clothes. She explained that my statement would be recorded. I was asked to state my name and address. She then began her questioning.

"Mr. Chevalier, I am trying to keep the questions to a minimum. All we are doing tonight is determining who would be the likely trial witnesses for this case, so I'm going to focus on the pertinent facts. Please answer as truthfully to the best of your recollection."

"I will."

"Mr. Chevalier, when did you first see the gunman?"

"I was talking to my friend when I felt a sudden chill due to the door of the restaurant opening. When I looked to see who came in, I saw a man with a gun at his side."

"Did you react at that time?"

"I mentioned the gunman to my friend."

"What did your friend do when you mentioned the gunman?"

"He jumped up and stood in front of the manager, Noriko."

"Why would your friend stand in front of the manager?"

"I suppose you would have to ask him. Maybe he thought it was a robbery and that she was in danger."

"So, tell me what happened next."

"I stood up and tried to talk the gunman into putting down his weapon."

"And what was his response?"

"He pointed the gun at me and asked how I knew his name."

"And how did you know his name?"

"I guess because Noriko told me in a conversation in the past. My friend and I have frequented this restaurant for some time. The gunman was her husband."

"So, how did you know at this point that the gunman was her husband? Had you ever met him before?"

"No, I had never seen him before, but when my friend jumped in front of the manager, the gunman accused her of having an affair with him and referred to her as his wife."

"Did your friend mention that he knew the gunman?"

"No, he didn't."

"Why did you approach an armed man? Did you have a weapon?"

"Goodness no! I was hoping to talk him down before he shot someone."

"But that put you in imminent danger as well. What made you think that he wouldn't shoot you?"

"I guess I never really thought it through. I just acted."

"Do you believe that the gunman intended to kill his wife?"

"How would I know what was going through his mind? I guess if he wanted to kill her, he could have."

"Was anyone else involved in the altercation besides your friend, the manager, the gunman, and you?"

"No, I don't recall anyone else saying anything."

"Did the manager have any words with the gunman?"

"No, she was terrified and hid behind my friend."

"It sounds like your friend took quite a chance. He could have been killed."

"Well, he is a very brave man, and he would never allow someone to hurt Noriko."

"Did your friend have an intimate relationship with the manager, Noriko?"

"No, no! We were just patrons who had conversations with her throughout the years."

"And you're absolutely sure that there was no hidden relationship?"

"Well, I couldn't be 100% sure, because I only see him once a week, but I know him well, and he's not the type of person who would ever entertain seeing a married woman."

"Thank you for your patience, Mr. Chevalier. We will most likely have more questions in the future. We will be in contact with you and let you know if we plan to use you as a witness in this case. Please step out into the waiting room. Once all of the witnesses have been interrogated, we will shuttle you all back to your cars."

I returned to the waiting room. I knew that the interrogator suspicioned that I was hiding something. She was right.

11:30 PM

I finally made it home. Evelyn wanted to know all about the evening. We stayed up for another hour talking about everything that happened. She was upset that I put myself in harm's way, but in reality I did nothing heroic. Eddie was the one who jumped to the rescue without any super powers. He would have died protecting Noriko. I knew the gunman wasn't going to shoot me, so my involvement was much more calculated. I couldn't interfere with his free will to stop him from killing Eddie and Noriko. Even the Creator does not interfere with our free will. I could, however, make him perceive his environment differently to make him unsuccessful in his intentions. This was a powerful ability. I just had to figure out how to use it to accomplish my task.
Wednesday, February 20, 10:45 AM

What a week it had already been! My excitement and anticipation caused the time to drag on at an unbearable rate. I bided my time waiting for the potential mothers to conceive. I occupied myself with monitoring the dignitaries in Pakistan, India, and the United States. Not much had changed on their part. After returning to Boise, Eddie reported to the Department of Defense that although the final destination for the emails appeared to be Orlando, he couldn't guarantee that it wasn't just a roundhouse dropping point, and that there was no further destination. He led them to believe that the trail was truly cold. Evelyn's fear of linking me to Orlando proved to be in vain. They were giving up at this point, and Eddie was released from his contract. After all, the mysterious emailer had not surfaced in the last couple of months, and I had been dabbling in some thought implantation with the members of the meeting that Eddie attended in D. C. I figured a little memory tampering couldn't hurt the situation, and Eddie had made plenty of money already.

The manufacturing of the memory virus was well under way, and the operatives of the coup were being driven to distribute as soon as possible. I was getting anxious, because time was running out, and I needed to prevent the distribution. I knew how to do that, but what I couldn't seem to prevent up to this point was the backlash that could occur in another dimension that could cause the other overlords to rally, regroup and execute the plan another way.

It was now time to make the rounds for the potential mothers since fertilization should occur within the first 24 hours. I was hoping for the odds, which were around eight percent, because I had chosen women who had been using fertility drugs. I began with the first one on the list. I detected no descendant and moved on to the next. I still found no one. To make a long story short, I went through the entire list of twenty-two names, and not one proved to be successful. I was hoping for at least one or two, but I came up dry. I thought maybe I had tried too soon and went back to my research. It could take up to four days for these women to conceive, so I decided to wait another couple of days.

I was puzzled. Out of twenty-two women, I thought that at least one would conceive by now. Still, I could detect no new soul within any of the subjects. Maybe I should have targeted women who weren't taking fertility drugs. After all, the reason women take the drugs is to increase their chances of conception, most likely because they have trouble. I had eight women that I could check who weren't taking the fertility drugs. I retrieved my list and started checking the women who weren't flagged as using the drugs. One by one, I tried finding any new souls that could have descended at conception. Once again, I found none. Maybe the statistics concerning the time it takes to conceive were wrong.

3:45 PM

I suddenly had another idea. Why hadn't I thought of it before? I needed to return to the clinics and find women who had been inseminated last week. Of course! I didn't need to wait around when there was another pool of candidates out there who were further along. I called the three clinics and posed the question whether my wife had her insemination on Thursday or Friday last week. This sounded a little suspicious that I couldn't recall when my wife's appointment had been, but with a little coaxing of an implanted thought, I got them to review the list of names from the previous week. Once again, I quickly jotted the names down, thanked them for their efforts to find my wife's name, although unsuccessful, and ended my calls as soon as possible. I now had a list of thirty-five names that I could reference to find a new descendant.

I rubbed my palms together and went to work. I was bound to find at least one soul that I could tap to possibly gather the information that I needed. One by one, I was unsuccessful in finding any newly descended souls. I was really discouraged at this point. I seriously doubted that out of sixty-five women who had been inseminated in the last week that I would come up empty. What was I missing? I needed to talk to Eddie, but it was getting late, and Evelyn would be home before long. I decided to sleep on it and call Eddie in the morning. He had been traveling yesterday and spent today with Angela. I hadn't had a chance to talk to him since the incident at the restaurant.

5:00 PM

Dinner would be ready at 5:30. Evelyn had just gotten home and was in the bedroom changing her clothes. There was some chicken broth in the refrigerator, which I added to some onions that were caramelizing in a sauté pan. Sliced mushrooms, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and Worcestershire were added as the liquid cooked off to reduce the sauce to the point where the salmon could be added for poaching. Sautéed spinach would provide just the complement for the poached salmon in mushroom sauce.

Evelyn had a hard day at work. I mostly listened as she complained about everyone from the senior vice-president to the janitor. It was exhausting, but I knew that she needed an ear. Unfortunately, I tuned her out to contemplate my own problem, giving an occasional nod or raising of the eyebrows to indicate that I was listening. No matter! I could read her mind more efficiently and succinctly, so if she suspicioned that I was preoccupied, I could recover quickly. The problem with that idea is that she knew I could do that, and it wasn't my knowledge that was important but the process of venting to someone who would listen. Somehow, I thought my problems were more important. At least I knew better than to try to solve hers.

10:30 PM

We turned the television off and went to bed. I was going to try one more attempt at finding a newly descended soul. The prospect sounded exciting, but I was getting discouraged. I couldn't get my list out, or Evelyn would ask what I was doing. God knows I didn't need that line of questioning tonight. I tried accessing the candidates by memory. Unfortunately, I was able to detect what they were doing at the time, and I decided that my timing was poor. I would try again after I talked to Eddie in the morning.

Thursday, February 21, 5:30 AM

Evelyn awoke with a nagging head cold. For the first hour I was afraid that she might stay home. I really didn't want her to know what I was up to with these potential mothers. I needed to talk to Eddie, and whenever I did she seemed to have an ear toward our conversation. I knew the clock was ticking, and the memory virus would soon be distributed. I couldn't afford to lose any more time. Luckily, by the time we finished breakfast, Evelyn was feeling better. She was off to work, and I started my day at work waiting for Eddie to wake up in Idaho.

11:00 AM

I could see that Eddie was up, showered, shaved, and had his customary banana for breakfast. Since he had been in Idaho, he had developed this strange habit of having a banana every morning. I gave him a call, and he answered immediately. "Hey, Adriel. What's up?"

"I'm really discouraged. I had a list of thirty names of women who were inseminated on Monday. I tried on Wednesday to find a newly descended soul. I found nothing, and most of these women had taken fertility drugs. I rounded up another list of thirty five names yesterday for women who had been inseminated last week, and I'm still striking out."

"What's the success rate for insemination, anyway?"

"Well, from what I read, it's between five and eight percent."

"Yeah, you'd expect to get one or two from that group, I would think. How are you attempting to find these souls?"

"Well, I focus on the potential mother and see if I can detect anyone else."

"And you're getting nothing but the mother, right?"

"Right. Well, it depends on what they are doing and who they are with at the time. I'm trying to focus on times when they are alone. I'm running out of time, and I'm not getting any success here. I must be doing something wrong. I could get another list of names, but I'm afraid that it will just be a repeat of what I have experienced so far."

"OK, Adriel! Let's think about this. Maybe you can't locate a soul until he is born."

"I really doubt that. I can't communicate with prescendants. I know that, but I'm looking for new descendants."

"Maybe your assumption is wrong. Maybe they have to have a brain for you to communicate."

"Oh, I hope that's not true. It will be too late by that time, and they will have forgotten everything that they learned during negotiations."

"Well, we really don't know how all of this works. Is there any other way to find out what you need to know?"

"I don't know what that would be, Eddie. I really think I have all the tools, but not all the knowledge. It's like having all of the pieces of the puzzle, but you still need to put the remaining pieces in place to see the picture."

"I understand. Maybe you need to wait for an answer."

"I'm running out of time, I tell you. The initial distribution of the virus is scheduled for Wednesday of next week, and believe it or not, the United Nations is the target."

"Oh no! You don't have much time. I think you're going to have to pull another delay tactic like you did before."

"I doubt that I can. They are taking extra precautions this time."

"But can't you implant another thought that will foil the distribution?"

"Not likely, Eddie! The Black Hole is the one who is making the trip to the United Nations. He plans to distribute it himself, and I can't intervene with him."

"Not good, Adriel! We have to think of something. Sorry, but I'm out of ideas."

"That's OK, I just hope something will turn up. Talk to you later."

I decided to clear my head and focus on my work. I spent the next few hours working on projects and tried not to think about my current dilemma.

4:00 PM

I was at a good stopping point and decided to sit on the couch and think for a while. I then had a very unsavory idea. I didn't like playing with people's emotions, but I was desperate. There could be a good reason that I had been unsuccessful in finding newly descended souls. Eddie had asked how I was attempting to find them. Obviously, I was targeting the potential mother as a contact. However, as I thought about it, in order to contact someone I needed some kind of a link. I had been able to find dignitaries in government agencies because they held a known office. It was like finding someone via an address. I was also able to link to individuals through others who were communicating with them or thinking about them at that time. That's like having a phone number. However, these newly descended souls would have no title, no name, and no recognition from anyone whatsoever. They weren't recognized as entities until the first positive pregnancy test. By the time the mother knew that she was expecting, the brain would have begun development, and my quest for Truth would be hindered. I didn't know how long it took for a new descendant to forget, but I didn't want to take any chances.

What I was about to do would remain an absolute secret. I could never tell anyone what I had to do, not Evelyn, not Eddie, not anyone. Although I knew that I could implant memories and make people think they had been daydreaming, there was bound to be some disappointment involved if I did this. I paced the floor trying to think of alternatives. I went back through my list of names and tried to find newly descended souls. I was still finding no one. This was only confirming my suspicions. No alternatives came to mind, so I reluctantly sent out a thought to all of the poor, unsuspecting, potential mothers that they had conceived. I felt terrible, because I had no way of knowing at this point if it were true.

The excitement that it generated was like a tidal wave, and mates and family members were quickly contacted causing a contagious excitement that reverberated throughout the individual families. Of course, I had to read the minds of these people, which made me feel even worse. There was no way that a 100% success rate had been achieved, and I was going to have to follow up with the disappointed people to replace their memories with something different. I felt horrible. I hated the term collateral damage, but in the grand scheme of things, this was minor compared to what would happen if I didn't act soon.

I would have to wait until tomorrow to go through my list of women to check if I could possibly find a new descendant. Evelyn was working from home tomorrow, but she had a hair appointment scheduled in the early afternoon. I could use that opportunity to tap souls at that time. I was getting depressed thinking of the disappointment that several of the potential mothers and families would feel once they found the truth. I knew that I wouldn't be very good company for Evelyn this evening.

6:00 PM

We ate dinner mostly in silence. Evelyn knew that something was wrong, but she was afraid to ask. After all, I can read her mind, but she sometimes forgot that fact.

After dinner, we retired to the back porch. Although Evelyn was reluctant to question me, she was also afraid to be kept in the dark all the time. "What happened today that got you down so?"

"Oh, I'm trying different ways to find out what I need to know, and I'm not making much progress."

"So, what have you been trying?"

"Well, it's one of those situations that is better kept to myself. You know the less I disclose, the better. I need some more information, and when I get what I need I'll bring you up to speed on my final plan. I don't have that much time."

"Do you know for certain how much time is left?"

"Actually, I do. I will have to act by Wednesday next week."

"Then you will be telling me everything in the next few days?"

"That's true. I just hope I know what to do."

"You're less than a week away, and you still don't know what to do?"

"I'm afraid so! I know how to do what I need to do, but I don't know specifically what I'm supposed to do. I know some of the strategy, but I'm missing an integral piece."

"Maybe I can help."

"I don't know. There's a lot to explain. This isn't what I thought that it was in the beginning. I just thought that Pakistan and India had some disagreement and needed to be brought together to prevent nuclear war. I wish that's all there was to it. I am finding that the real battle is in another dimension, and the earthly players are just puppets."

"I don't understand. Who is the battle really with in another dimension?"

"Well, it gets a little complicated. Just suffice it to say that there are entities in an extra-dimensional realm that I need to stop in order to prevent the devastation of the world."

"Who are they?"

"They are evil forces who want to destroy mankind. Really, Evelyn, if I explain all of this we'll be up all night. We really need to get some sleep. After this is all over, I can explain the dynamics behind all of this, but for now, just accept that I am fighting evil forces in another realm."

"Adriel, this sounds like some science fiction movie. How in the world do think you're going to stop evil forces in another dimension?"

"Well, that's the unsolved mystery at this point. I have some investigation to do, and I need for you to sit tight. I'll let you know when it's time."

Evelyn didn't say another word. I could read her thoughts. She respected what I said and realized that I was either crazy, or there was a serious event about to take place. I didn't want to worry her, but we were getting too close to the deadline to completely keep her in the dark.
Friday, February 22, 6:00 AM

Evelyn was sleeping a little later since she didn't have to go into the office today. I slipped out of bed and went into the kitchen. I fired up the coffee pot and looked in the fridge to see what I could fix for breakfast. I was anxious. I couldn't wait for Evelyn to go to her hair appointment so that I could look for new descendants. However, I didn't dare try before I was alone, because I wasn't sure what I would find, and I needed privacy to be able to learn what I needed to know. I really wasn't in the mood to do much cooking, so I decided to fry some bacon and eggs.

Evelyn entered the kitchen and grabbed a coffee cup from the cabinet. As she was pouring her coffee, I set her plate of eggs and bacon on her placemat. Without a word she pulled a fork from the drawer and sat down in her chair. Normally, I would have perceived her silence as trouble, but since I could read minds, I knew better. She was recalling a dream that she had last night, but it was rapidly slipping from her memory. It took over half a cup of coffee before she was conversational.

I was the first to speak, as usual. "Do you have much work to do today?"

"You know I would really have liked some toast to go with the eggs and bacon."

"Yes, Evelyn, I know, but we're trying to curb our carbs. Remember?"

Evelyn gave me a dirty look and stuck her tongue out before she took another sip of her coffee. "No, I don't have much work to do. I just need to check a few things and then get ready for my hair appointment."

Once Evelyn was finished, I took her plate and fork and started cleaning up the breakfast mess while she opened her laptop and logged onto work to check her email. She was expecting a response from one of her customers. I decided to do the same and see if any other projects had been assigned that I might have missed. Nothing new had come my way, and I puttered around the kitchen until Evelyn finally decided to leave for her hair appointment.

10:30 AM

Evelyn had just pulled out of the garage, so I prepared to search for new descendants. I began going down my list of potential mothers. I focused on the first one, but I was unable to reach any newly descended soul. It was like knocking on a door when no one was home. After a while, you give up and go to the next one. I repeated the process with the second one. Still, no one was home. I was feeling even worse now about making these women think that they had conceived, and I was wondering if I were even able to detect new souls. I moved on to the third, and there he was.

I was astounded. It wasn't like reading any other soul. He certainly wasn't like the prescendants. He had knowledge that none of us possessed. He wasn't like other descendants that I had read either, because he hadn't been tainted by this world, and he hadn't yet forgotten what he had just learned. He had been enlightened, and he had been through the negotiation process. I readily understood why we, as prescendants, were not allowed to mingle with those who had negotiated, and I also understood why we forgot our negotiation. It all made perfect sense now. I observed him as he pondered in great detail all that he had learned and negotiated. It was fascinating. The mystery of the negotiating process melted away as I was enlightened. Have you ever stood on the beach just before sunrise, waiting patiently until the big red ball peeks over the watery horizon? It was a similar experience, except that it was more like in the cartoons when the sun pops up like it was attached to a window shade springing open. I went from a murky twilight of understanding to an intense light of full understanding.

I got to read his complete agreement. It wasn't anything like I had imagined. There were no specific events. It was all laid out in concepts, emotions, principles, and goals that appeared more like dreams. Nothing had been carved in stone, because he hadn't lived his life yet. It was like a gel that would harden as he carried out his negotiation on earth. I saw such a similarity between his memory and the experience of waking up in the morning and remembering a dream. Dreams had symbolic references to our lives. Everything and everyone in our dreams relate to some aspect of ourselves. I was beginning to realize that our dreams are a reminder of our negotiations. Dreams are little taps on our shoulders to alert us that we either are, or are not, on track with our negotiation.

This caused me to think back on some of the dreams that I had in the past, especially the recurring dreams that left an indelible mark on my memory. One such dream involved me living in a house that was so large that I couldn't occupy all of the rooms. Part of the house was in disrepair, and I had ongoing projects to try to fix a sagging roof and crumbling walls. I started focusing on the symbolism of the dream and began to understand that I wasn't living up to my full potential. I wasn't occupying all of the rooms in the house. I had been hard on my body with my lifestyle, and the roof and walls were giving way. I had been failing in part of my negotiation, but I had lately gotten back on track. Seeing this caused me to begin to take dreams more seriously and try to remember them when possible.

I was getting sidetracked and returned to the new descendant. Time seemed to stand still. I was sifting through his thoughts in great detail. Absolute Truth had been revealed to him. My suspicions were correct. We did know Truth from the start of our lives. Eddie and I were able to recognize false teaching even though we couldn't remember the specifics of what we had been taught during our negotiations. There were no obstacles to our choice for Truth. We didn't have another agenda that focused on the material aspects of this world, and we didn't try to manipulate our stay on earth. I was beginning to realize that the freedom of choice and free will began at the time we were created, not when we came to earth. Souls had a chance to recant their prior agreements that they had made with other souls in the attempt to control their lives after descent. They would have to relinquish their fear to do so and trust the Creator.

In an instant, I flashed back to my mother. We had an agreement to descend together, but she descended thirty-seven years before I did. I then realized that during her negotiation she must have seen her agreement with me as evidence of her fear to descend. Rather, she abandoned the fear and embraced what the Creator had to offer her in life. Obviously, some of the other souls did not let loose of their fears, and they were spiritually debilitated from the start. My indignation that I felt from my mother abandoning our agreement melted away. Instead, I felt a sense of admiration and peace in her decision.

I was once again sidetracked. It was difficult to learn what this soul was pondering without constantly relating back to my own life. I didn't remember my own negotiation, but I was beginning to see that it's not really that difficult to figure out. Still, I needed to stay focused. It seemed like hours had passed as I wound my way through his thoughts. I was trying to concentrate more on the aspect of Truth rather than this soul's negotiation. It was Truth that would lead me to the answers that I needed to accomplish my task.

It was like a forgotten memory returning to me. I recalled how the Creator had woven the fabric of mankind like a huge cosmic blanket. I could also see how the defected overseers were trying to unravel it to destroy what was so precious to the Creator. Approximately one-third of the overseers had abandoned their realm and revolted at some time during the creation of the universe. I would have supposed that they inhabited the same dimensions as the other overseers, but it wasn't so. There was an anti-dimensional universe that existed in the negative realm that was part of the creation, which was designed to eventually imprison the defected overseers into a separate dimensional realm. As I had told Eddie about the upward dimensions, I now realized that there were dimensions in the negative realm as well. The antithesis of our three-dimensional world is the negative third dimension. This is where the fallen overseers reside and interface with our world. Could this be how the concept of a heaven above and a hell below came into being?

I had also told Eddie that there were intersections from our third dimension into the fourth. Twelve portals exist on the earth that lead to the next dimension. Every dimension had portals. Nine of these earthly portals are over water, and three of them are over land. I had told Eddie that the Bermuda Triangle was just one of the portals over water. What I had now learned was that there are three portals from our dimension into the negative third dimension. What I found interesting is that they are inland, but beneath the water in three rivers, the Nile, the Euphrates, and the Jordan.

The significance of these locations was another topic that was not germane to my task. I somehow got the idea that this knowledge would come in handy in the future after I had completed my current assignment. I was beginning to realize that there was more to come down the road, and I wasn't really comfortable with the possibility that I might not be able to go back to my former, mundane life. At any rate, I knew that these anti-dimensions were created for the fallen overseers where they will eventually spend all of eternity. I didn't know how many levels there were, but I did understand that they were the mirror images to the other dimensions only in a painful, negative manner.

So much had been revealed in a short period of time. I now understood the significance behind what the defectors were doing. As I had explained to Eddie, the Black Hole had intended to appear as the Antichrist, who had been falsely portrayed in movies and books. His intention was to mislead humanity into thinking that the anointed one was soon to return. However, the anointed's next descent was not scheduled for quite some time. In addition, the nuclear holocaust that was being planned was to be recognized as Armageddon, which was another misconception. The whole idea was to deceive mankind and destroy any anticipation that the Creator was sending his anointed after the last soul had descended. There was a significant multitude of people who had been deceived, and this coup was designed to strike the final deadly blow to unravel the human race. Negotiations would be abandoned by future descendants if this plan were to succeed.

Much to my chagrin, the original understanding that I had about the world situation was feeble at best. I thought that I was dealing with world rulers and the global political atmosphere. In reality, I had an army of 200 million defected overseers that I was battling, and having a little knowledge of the power that they possessed, I didn't consider myself to be much of a match. I knew that my time was running out. No matter what I did to prevent this coup from taking over the entire world, it would be circumvented by the other overlords, and they would continue with a little recovery. The seven overlords were truly the intelligence behind the entire plan. Their power was far greater than the other defected overseers. I knew that they had counterparts among the ones who did not defect. Those were the ones who remained faithful to the Creator. These were generals in a super-dimensional realm of combat. What in the world was I doing? It just seemed so senseless to have me going up against these powerful forces, even with the talents that I now possessed. Why not have the overseers battle this out?

I was missing the most important link. What did I have that the overseers did not? I was mortal; they were not. I was weak; they were strong. I knew a lot, but they knew more. Just then I remembered that the anointed descended as a human. It was necessary to accomplish his task as a human. The solution lay with a flesh and blood person who had everything to lose. It wasn't just knowledge that was the deciding factor; it was more. I began to realize why an overseer couldn't do what I had to do.

I turned my focus on the enemy. As powerful as they were, they too had limits. They were jealous of mankind. That's why they defected during the creation. Once they realized what the purpose for this world was and who the souls were that would descend, they revolted. No wonder we were so hated by them. No wonder they wanted to destroy us. We were offered something that the overseers could not attain, and we were equipped with something very important that they lacked. They fed off of souls who would allow them into their lives. This is what had happened to the Black Hole. The overlord had inhabited this man, and he wouldn't leave. He was like an eagle clutching his prey between his talons. Only death would separate the overlord from the soul that he was feeding upon. Suddenly, I had a ray of hope. I could capitalize on their weakness. I now had a plan.

It appeared that a checkmate was imminent in two moves against mankind. Those moves entailed the distribution of the memory virus and nuclear war. However, the Creator was about to queen a pawn. A pawn from the Midwest was moving to checkmate a king in South Asia. I needed to call Eddie immediately to let him know that I would need to send out some more emails. This would be the final move in a very long battle.

3:45 PM

I anxiously dialed Eddie's number. He answered after two rings. "Hey, Adriel!"

"Hi, Eddie! I've been thinking, and I needed to let you know that I will need to send out six more emails to specific individuals."

"Sure! I still have my equipment and software set up. Angela and I are packing up her house today, and she's going to move in with me at home."

Angela was anxious to leave her life in Boise, and she was putting her house on the market next week. Eddie had made a proposal. He offered to commit to Angela for the rest of his life if she were willing to reciprocate. She accepted. I was so happy for them. They weren't concerned about a legal contract of marriage at this point. They both realized that a contract could be broken. What meant more to them than anything was the commitment that they both promised to one another.

"So, Adriel, who are the six recipients of the emails?"

"Well, I haven't finalized the list yet. It will be a last minute detail that I will send to you when everything is ready."

"When will that be? We don't have much time left from what you told me, and what are these emails going to do? I thought you didn't need email anymore."

"I'll explain more later. I'll need for you to forward them on Monday night at the specific time when I give you the signal. This is it, Eddie. This is my final strike against the coup."

"Just email? I don't get it."

"I need some time to prepare. I'll explain it all on Monday evening when we get started. I have another question."

"Sure! What's that?"

"I need to be able to have a program executed when the recipients click on a link within the body of the email text. Can you do that?"

"Of course I can, but I can't guarantee that they will click the link."

"I can guarantee that with an implanted thought."

"OK, great! What's the program going to do?"

"I'll explain that on Monday, but whatever you do, do not click the link in the email that I send to you that is to be forwarded. It will wreak the most devastating effect that could ever happen to you."

"A program? Are you kidding? What does it do?"

"Like I said, I'll tell you Monday night."

"OK, Mr. Mysterious! I can't imagine how these emails are going to save the world."

"I have a lot of work to do. I'll get back with you after I make more progress. See you later."

I had a program to write, and I would need Eddie to attach the executable program to a link in the emails that I would have him forward to key personnel. I had to impress upon Eddie that the programs could never be tested with the final data. Doing so would be the most dangerous and devastating thing we ever did. Only those who would click on the link in the email would be the recipients of a fate worse than death. I needed to target six key managers who reported to the Black Hole. I knew some of them, but I needed to search for others.

I saw Evelyn pull into the driveway, so my mission had to be put on hold for the time being. I would take some time in the early morning hours to start choosing the email recipients. This needed to be done carefully, because although I could choose anyone, I didn't want to destroy someone who wasn't an evil and integral part of the coup. There was a significant pool of candidates, but I also needed to determine who would be in the right place at the right time. I began to realize that some of my decisions would have to be made minutes before my final move.

5:45 PM

It was fifteen degrees outside, but I had been in the mood to grill a chicken. My favorite method, which I called French grilling, was developed by me about a year ago. The French chefs had several techniques that brought exquisite flavor to their dishes, and I employed these procedures religiously. One of these was the browning of meat prior to any additional means of cooking. Whether in a stew or an entree, the meat was usually browned in a pan to form a crust and lock in the juices. I used a very hot grill to accomplish this for my charcoaled meat entrees. The coals were all gathered to one side of the grill to allow for browning the meat with intense heat over the coals and then to allow the chicken to bake on the other side of the grill without burning to a crisp.

The back and wings of the chicken were removed with a very sharp knife, which were reserved to create a rich chicken stock for later use. The skin was pulled away from the flesh, but left attached so that a rub of various herbs and spices could be added for flavor. Once the seasonings had been rubbed onto the flesh of the breasts, legs and thighs, the skin was used to cover it all so that the fat would melt, and the high heat would seal the juice and flavor. The prepared chicken was housed in a cooking grate that had a top and bottom to allow for easy turning. Once the coals were white hot with flames licking upward, the chicken was placed over the coals on the cooking grid over the open flame. The coals would soon explode into a fiery frenzy that embraced the chicken as it sizzled and popped. I would then check to see when the chicken was reasonably browned on the underside, but not burned. Once it met my approval, the chicken was then turned to repeat the process on the other side. After browning, the grate was slid to the other side of the grill, and the lid was placed on the grill with the vents open. This allowed the chicken to finish cooking to the perfect state that provided a flavorful, moist entree with a delightfully grilled essence.

After Evelyn and I had finished dinner, it was time for show and tell. She ushered me into the living room and then retrieved her bags of loot that she had attained during her shopping spree. I spent the next half hour offering "oh's" and "ah's" at the various outfits that Evelyn modeled for me. Sometimes I thought that the whole purpose behind the entire exercise was to get my response to this ritual of display, because I knew that she would return over half of what she bought. Evelyn enjoyed shopping, but she didn't enjoy spending money. Every month when I paid the charge card bill, it seemed there were usually at least five itemized lines of returns on the statement. At any rate, it was a small price to pay for something that brought her satisfaction. What I really enjoyed about these fashion shows was her process of changing from one outfit to another.
Saturday, February 23, 5:00 AM

My mind was so active that I had a hard time sleeping last night. As a result, I ended up sleeping a little later than I intended. Evelyn and I needed to go to the grocery this morning, and she had some shopping to do later for a birthday gift for Charlie. That would be a perfect time for me to develop the program for the emails. First, I needed to shovel the snow off of the driveway. I hated cold weather, but for some strange reason I enjoyed shoveling snow. As I was clearing the driveway, I thought about the program. It would be simple. All it needed to do was take a set of characters and change the sequence to display on the email recipient's computer screen. I could test the program with a test character set, but not the real set. I needed to load a dataset for the live data with the following seven sets of characters:

AAAABRZ

AAAHIKL

ABEHLPZ

AAHJPRZ

AAAKLRZ

AAHHPRZ

AAANSST

Six sets were actually needed, but the last one was kept to send to the Black Hole as a calling card. These letters were the scrambled names of the seven fallen overlords with the letters arranged in alphabetical order. The program would unscramble the letters using a corresponding key and display them in full screen mode. I wasn't allowed to speak or write the names, but no one was stopping me from programmatically disclosing them. After all, I would never hear or see the names myself. I thought that showing the Black Hole his name would be a nice touch to let him know he had been identified. I would need to have one of his managers forward the email to him, since I couldn't address him directly.

Once I had the program written and tested, the rest of my plan would need to be completed which was equally as important. Not only did I need to select six recipients for the emails, I had to plant some thoughts and memories in a very large group of people. It would take me too long to distribute the thoughts in all of the key personnel that I needed, so I was planning for my initial contacts to propagate the message to those who needed to act. Everything had to be solidified by Sunday evening. By Monday, everyone had to be poised and ready to spring into action.

The snow shoveling was done, and such an important, clandestine, world event was now being paused for breakfast. Although I was too excited to have much of an appetite, Evelyn enjoyed a hearty breakfast on Saturday morning. I decided to go all out and make homemade English muffins, topped with a slice of hickory smoked pork that I had left over from Thursday night's dinner. Two poached eggs smothered in Hollandaise would cover the pork for a delectable version of Eggs Benedict a la Adriel.

I was quick in the kitchen, and in an hour the English muffins were coming out of the oven. The coffee was brewing. Stevia was mixed with Tamari to coat the smoked pork, which was then blackened in a sauté pan. The eggs were cracked and swirled into the boiling salted water. They were done in just a few turns and removed with a ladle. The butter had been melted, and the lemon juice and egg yolk were in the blender. The culinary crescendo peaked as Evelyn entered the kitchen. Muffins were placed on the plates, blackened pork on top of the muffins, eggs ladled onto the pork, and the melted butter was slowly added to the blending egg yolks to form a satiny sauce which smothered our breakfast in pure delight.

I was only able to eat about half of my portion, but Evelyn polished hers off with great satisfaction and poured a second cup of coffee. It was time for me to bring her up to speed on my plan. Evelyn was as anxious to get this over with as I was. We retired to the back porch where I disclosed my idea in great detail. She thought that it sounded fairly risky, but it was all I had. She wanted to be with me when I executed the final phase. I told her that it would probably be around 3:00 AM on Monday morning when it was completed. We would make a pot of coffee to stay awake, and she planned to take Monday off of work.

2:15 PM

The grocery shopping was done, and I had finished putting everything into the cabinets and refrigerator. I spent some time cleaning the kitchen while I waited for Evelyn to go shopping. As I was finishing the kitchen, Evelyn kissed me goodbye and headed for the department store. I now had some time to concentrate on writing the simple program to unscramble the letters. I was using seven key codes that would designate the placement of the letters. The seven keys were number placements.

1356274

1367524

6125347

2651437

2561374

2615437

2465173

I decided to use the key codes as the test data as well, making the test results easy to read. In a few minutes, I had the program ready to test. I ran it against the keys and the results were successful, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7. I was now ready to send the program and the live dataset to Eddie. It felt like I was handling a sensitive bomb.

I gave Eddie a call. "Hey Adriel! How's it going?"

"I have the program ready. Are you in a position to receive the program and the datasets?"

"Sure! No problem! So, what does this program do, anyway? I know it's not Monday, but can you tell me now?"

"I think I better. The datasets contain the scrambled names of the seven overlords of the defected overseers. The program uses a key to unscramble the letters and display them on the screen. For God's sake, Eddie, whatever you do when you attach the program to the link in the email, don't click on it. You must not execute the program. Do you understand?"

"Good Lord, Adriel! I'm not a child. Of course I understand. I can handle this."

"OK, good, because it feels like having the launch codes to ballistic missiles."

"When do you need this?"

"Well, from what I can tell, it will be about 3:00 AM my time."

"OK, so it will be another one of our late nights."

"True, and Evelyn will be with me."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me. Do you think she can take the pressure?"

"Actually, yes! I think she wants to know first hand if my plan fails."

"I don't blame her, Adriel. So do I. So tell me, what do you expect to happen when the recipients open the email and click on the link?"

"Well, the link will execute the program to unscramble the letters of the overlord's name and display it on the computer screen. I expect it to immediately call the overseers as an invitation to take possession of their souls. If my understanding is correct, the overlords will take control of the email recipients once they read the overlord's name. That's why I'm not allowed to speak or write their names."

"Adriel, that doesn't sound good. It sounds like you will have seven black hole people at that point."

"I know, but if I have all of this right, the second part of my plan will give the world a tremendous break. I can't completely stop them, but I think I can delay them for quite a while. I'll explain more later if this idea works."

"OK, Adriel! Send me the program, and I'll set up an email template with a link that executes it."

"Will do. This makes me very nervous, Eddie. Please be careful."

"Oh please! Of course I will."

4:40 PM

Once again, I wasn't in a cooking mood. I decided to make it simple. I would throw a couple of potatoes in the oven, make a salad and grill some steaks. It didn't matter that there was a foot of snow on the ground. I grilled out year round, regardless. Evelyn insisted on a bottle of Bordeaux to accompany dinner. I opened a fine bottle to let it breathe. I was opting for sparkling water, but she not only enjoyed the wine, she needed to relax tonight. The next few days were going to be stressful.

After dinner, we retired to the back porch to enjoy watching the gentle falling of the snow. Evelyn was wrapped in her afghan and rocking in her chair, sipping her wine. I too was in my chair enjoying the peaceful snowfall. I tried to keep the conversation off of the matter at hand and focus more on the future as though it weren't threatened by the imminent danger of virus and war. I actually promised to take her to Paris the next year. I must have been out of my mind, because I couldn't fathom how I would endure an eight hour airplane ride to France. Oh well, it would give me a good reason to improve my French. That cute, little, French maid didn't sound like such a bad idea.

9:35 PM

The wine had done its magic, and Evelyn was lightly snoring on her side of the bed. I turned off the television and headed out to the back porch again. I needed to start my thought implantation. Thousands of individuals needed to be alerted to carry out my final plan. This was not going to be a simple task. I was faced with the conundrum of choosing the right individuals to implant memories which would not conflict with another. For example, if I chose to implant a thought into the President of the United States concerning the tactical maneuver to prevent the coup in Pakistan, and that thought conflicted with other intelligence that existed within the NSA or CIA, there could be dissension that would fatally delay my plan. I didn't have time to implant memories into all of the players on the field within our government. I needed to find the appropriate nucleus to disseminate the plan without question. It was time for some thought hopping through the intelligence community in Washington.

There were times when it seemed as though the leaders of our country never slept. I was amazed at how many people appeared to be available at all hours. Through thought implantation and reading the results, I was able to chain my way through part of the intelligence community in hopes of finding the core of key personnel who could and would execute my plan without hesitation. I could read hundreds of candidates within minutes. Thought was as fast as light, and the trick was to resist focusing on any one person or thought in detail. Otherwise it would be like looking at a masterpiece in the Louvre with a magnifying glass rather than stepping back to the proper viewing distance to see the whole picture. At that distance, you would be analyzing hundreds of thousands of brush strokes in unison instead of just a few.

You never know what you might find when you start turning over hundreds of rocks. Sometimes things crawl out that you never dreamed existed. One such rock was the Director of National Intelligence. I wasn't intending to use him as a candidate, but I wanted to find operatives who could possibly be the sources who reported to him as informers of the coup. As I scanned for candidates within his realm of knowledge, I ran into a group called the Boppers. The term Boppers had been derived from an acronym for Black Operatives or BOPS as they were known. Black did not refer to evil, but to being out of sight. This elite group was a well kept classified secret. Navy Seals did not have the skill, strength, or stamina to belong to BOPS. A recruit for BOPS had to possess no immediate family ties. He must be able to drop out of sight for years at a time, untraceable and without notice by anyone. The qualifications for BOPS far exceeded that of the Navy Seals. They were supermen among our race with capabilities that appeared to be an impossibility to the human form. Not only did they display an unbelievable amount of strength in every muscle, but their skill was at a machine-like level that produced an uncanny consistency. They were human robots, so to speak, and were used for the most sensitive, clandestine operations that would never be disclosed or admitted in any fashion by our government. I was forming an idea that they would be just the team that I needed for my final phase. The question was how to employ them in the next few days without hesitation.

I was forming my team, but I still needed to choose my intelligence source that would set my plan in motion. I needed to find American spies within the government of Pakistan to initiate the discovery of the coup and impress the urgency to prevent the rapidly approaching events that would be irreversible. I searched for about half an hour before I found a CIA contractor employed by the U. S. Consulate. Due to classified information, I cannot divulge his exact position nor his mission, as he is still stationed in Pakistan to this day. However, he was just the person I needed to launch the intelligence to set my plan in motion for the United States. I wasted no time and implanted the necessary thoughts and memory as to how he learned of the coup and the detail needed to relay the information. Once the information had been transferred, I could guide the United States commanders to employ my plan. I knew this would only be a matter of a couple of hours due to the urgency of the situation. My U. S. team would be in place by tomorrow morning, and the Boppers would be stealthily placed into position.

I now needed to focus on Pakistan since that was my principal target. This was much more difficult than getting the United States into play, because Pakistan had been so infiltrated with coup operatives that it would be nearly impossible to alert many people without detection, and I didn't have time to pick and choose my candidates and walk them through the explosive mine field of the coup. I was left only to the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Minister of Defense. Anyone below those levels would be exposed to the operatives of the coup.

At this moment, I received an answer to a question that had plagued me for months. On several occasions I had recounted my past decisions and actions in my attempt to learn information and prevent certain devastating events. I had been a highly visible component to the tension between India, Pakistan, and U. S. Intelligence involvement. They saw me as a formidable threat due to my knowledge and abilities and sought to bring me in for questioning and likely imprisonment. All this time, I wondered if I had done the right thing by stirring up a hornet's nest in South Asia. If I hadn't disclosed the armaments of India and Pakistan and alerted the United States of the danger of nuclear war, it would have been far more difficult to get everyone onboard at this point, because I would have had to manufacture more intricate memories than I had time to devise. In addition, it would entail a much larger group of people that I would not be able to manage in the remaining days that I had left. I realized that one of two things had happened. Either my decisions to expose the threat to the world was the right direction, or the Creator was using the exposure to my advantage. Either way, I had an answer.

Pakistan was far more challenging than dealing with the United States. I didn't have the luxury of choosing an individual to leak information to the two leaders in the Pakistani government who were my targets. I had to do something with a little more risk. I had to disclose myself as the email phantom and give them the information that they needed to understand the extent, urgency, and gravity of the coup. As I had learned, everyone was familiar with mind control, although no one had been successful in achieving the results that I was about to demonstrate. I knew this would relaunch the investigation to find me, but since I could control thoughts and memories, I wasn't nearly as concerned. I had to rely on Pakistan cooperating with the United States to expect a team of American forces to come in to police the situation and make the necessary arrests whenever I gave the command. Pakistan wouldn't know who the Boppers were. They would only see them as American troops employed to prevent the coup. This would be the first time in history that the Boppers were actually seen by anyone during a mission. I didn't trust anyone else. We were dealing with extra-dimensional overlords, and I didn't want to leave any more to chance than possible.

I sent a thought to the Prime Minister in Pakistan to meet immediately with his Minister of Defense. Once they were alone in the same room together, I started my initiation. I gave them both a thought to remain silent and look at one another. They were then instructed to write a name on a piece of paper without the other one seeing what he was writing. I had them exchange papers and disclosed that I was the email phantom, who had achieved a high level of mind control, and I needed them to interface with the United States to prevent the coup that was scheduled to strike Pakistan in the next couple of days. The writing of the same name was the convincing factor that they were both receiving thoughts from me. That confirmation was necessary to get their undivided attention and cooperation. I also let them know that they would be receiving information directly from me, and they were not to trust anyone in their government at this point. Once they were in contact with the President of the United States, I would resume my post to help them prevent the tragedy that could potentially destroy the world.

11:45 PM

I had toyed with the idea of contacting the Prime Minister of India, but at this point I decided that the natural trickle of information that he received from the United States would suffice. I would need to follow up after my strike to disclose the members of the coup in as many countries as possible. By that time, the entire world would be enlightened, and I could assist in the identification of the infiltrators.

I was fighting sleep, and I still had much to do. I decided to take a short nap and start again in about an hour. I trusted that a little sleep would help me to think more clearly. Lack of sleep, just like alcohol, impaired judgment, and I couldn't afford a lack of judgment at this point. Airlines had finally conceded to let their pilots take a forty-five minute nap to refresh during longer flights. They had learned that a power nap of that length greatly increased the abilities of the flight crew. My judgment was paramount at this time. Although I was convinced that some of my past actions and decisions were most likely to be the right things to do at the time, I knew full well that other aspects of my behavior were still in question, for instance, my injury in the tunnel.
Sunday, February 24, 12:45 AM

I awoke somewhat refreshed. I had set my alarm on my cell phone and napped on the back porch. I cleared my head a bit and sauntered into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. As it was brewing, I decided to make the rounds through the U. S. government again to determine how my message was being received. I could see that it was going to be a late night in Washington. A flurry of activity was underway, and conversations were happening between the U. S., Pakistan, and India. Defense departments were working together to coordinate a plan that I had instigated just a couple of hours ago. Their first concern was to contain the memory virus, but I had left specific instructions that they could not move too soon, or the whole plan would fail. They were anticipating a contact to give them the signal to move in, but that contact was no more than an implanted thought and memory from me that the time was right. The Prime Minister of Pakistan had informed the President of the United States that I was involved and communicating through a sophisticated method of thought transfer. This made everyone nervous, because their control in the operation was limited, and they had no clue who I was.

I was now very afraid to go to sleep for fear that I might not prevent some action that they should avoid. The coffee had finished brewing. I prepared a cup and stepped outside in the snow to help keep me awake. How I hated the cold, but my sleepiness disappeared for a while. Once I started shivering, I went back inside. I wasn't sure when I would be able to nap again. I just didn't want to be out of touch for hours. I needed to get up to speed on the progress that was being made to set the stage for the final act.

2:00 AM

The government had wasted no time. The Surgeon General in conjunction with the Center for Disease Control had devised some tests to help determine if any staff member might be infected with the judgment virus. Employees and contractors were being discretely called in all through the night to undergo a battery of tests. These tests were being conducted at the White House, FBI Headquarters, and the Pentagon. Anyone suspicioned to have been infected was sent home until further notice. I had disclosed several members of the coup who had infiltrated the government offices in the United States. Their clearances had been revoked, and they were being rounded up for questioning and possible arrest.

I was trying to monitor all of the members to see if I could detect other possible operatives from the coup. Everyone was proceeding cautiously. Cell phones were being confiscated until clearance was provided for each individual. I was impressed at how rapidly they were moving. Those that passed the battery of tests were immediately scheduled for another round in one week and ongoing. They all understood that the virus could lie dormant and activate at a later date. I was also trying to keep track of how many operatives and infected people were being isolated. I was surprised that there were fewer than I would have imagined. Nonetheless, they were purging the government of hostile elements. At least forty-five people had been detained.

The other governments were also working covertly, trying not to alert any of the coup operatives for fear that the final strike would be foiled. India was conducting tests for the memory virus with a much higher rate of infection than the United States. Over fifty percent of the officials in India had been positively identified with the likelihood of the judgment virus. The Prime Minister of Pakistan wanted to share the vaccine with India and the United States once he realized what it really was. The mandatory inoculation in Pakistan a few years back was posed as a deterrent for some other virus, but now that it had been made known, he was very willing to help protect others. I had to insist that he delay any action that would involve anyone else in his government at this time.

I was moving at lightning speed as I bounced from country to country and person to person trying to stay abreast of the situation. I needed to make sure that they didn't disclose my plan or move too far too soon. Pakistan was walking on eggshells due to the infestation of coup members. It was impossible to launch an investigation without them finding out and taking action. High ranking officials were involved in the coup, so the Prime Minister looked toward the United States for help. I had been disclosing delegates in Pakistan to the Prime Minister who could be trusted, but warned that if any of them were informed they could inadvertently alert a member of the coup, and our operation would be compromised.

Boppers had been repositioned from locations in the Mideast and South Asia to cross the borders in Pakistan undetected. They had been air dropped on the edge of the mountains in Kashmir and were crossing into Pakistan toward Islamabad. It amazed me how quickly they could move without anyone noticing. I had to resist the temptation of following one of them in the interest of experiencing what he was thinking. I couldn't afford any distractions. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense were now carefully making a list of trusted individuals who would need to be informed of my plan just prior to execution. They were too close to the lab where our strike was to take place to be kept in the dark. Just before the mission was executed, they would know what to expect.

I was getting a little nervous. We were still twenty four hours away from execution, and I felt that too many people were being informed despite my efforts to encourage secrecy. There was no way that I could guarantee that there wouldn't be a leak in the intelligence that would tip off the coup members and foil my plan. That would start a proverbial wild fire that I couldn't possibly contain in time. I was on needles and pins at this point, and the abundance of caffeine in my system wasn't helping my nerves.

7:00 AM

I could hear Evelyn making another pot of coffee in the kitchen. I decided to take a break from the coffee and have her promise to wake me in two hours. I needed some rest. After I brought her up to speed, she set the timer for two hours and encouraged me to get some sleep. I was dead tired.

9:15 AM

Evelyn woke me, and I was having a difficult time clearing my head. I was beginning to wonder if the sleep did me any good or made me feel worse. I made the rounds throughout the world again. Today would be my last opportunity to set the stage for the completion of my plan. I starting chaining my way through the members of the coup to disclose the operatives who had infiltrated the other countries. There were far too many for me to identify to have them apprehended. It would take months to have them in custody. My only hope was to destroy their nucleus to render them ineffective. Nonetheless, I would employ the bloodhounds in each of the respective governments to seek them out in the near future. For now, I needed to stay focused on the major players. Since things were holding steady at this point, I decided to catch some more sleep. Evelyn set the timer again for two more hours.

12:00 PM

Once again, Evelyn woke me, and I asked her to make another pot of coffee. I was wondering if my heart was strong enough for all of this. I still needed to choose the recipients of the six emails. Actually, I needed a seventh to forward the last one to the Black Hole as an attempt to thumb my nose at him. I lay in bed winding through the top operatives to choose who would be the best candidates. I already had three in mind. I just needed to identify four more, and then I could craft the body of the emails to send to Eddie. It was the split second timing of the final stroke that concerned me. Something as random as an ice storm that caused a power outage could turn the world upside down. However, I learned not to worry about things that were out of my control.

After about thirty minutes, I had chosen my targets. I went into the kitchen for another heart pumping cup of coffee. Two cups should be my limit. I walked over to my laptop and prepared the emails to send to Eddie. I gave him a quick call to be sure that he was ready. We had a short conversation, and then I sent him the seven emails including the recipients and the sender's information that he would place in the email header. He got perturbed with me when I reiterated the danger of clicking on the link in the email. I couldn't help it. I had to remind him of the devastating effect it would have, not only on him, but the entire world.

My gun was now cocked and ready to fire. I just needed to coordinate everything about 3:00 AM tomorrow morning. I sent another implanted thought message to my contacts who would be responsible for executing my plan. So far, everything seemed to be going as planned. I just needed to do the last minute notification of where the key operatives were located. However, I did still need to keep my fingers on the pulses of the three main countries involved. I couldn't afford any slip ups. Maybe three cups of coffee were in order.

Evelyn had made a light lunch for us. I appreciated it. I did need to get something in my stomach. Although I didn't have much of an appetite, the acid from the coffee felt like it was eating through my stomach lining. We enjoyed a tasty shrimp salad with some Chai tea. Lunch had made me feel a lot better, and I settled in on the couch on the back porch with an afghan to watch it snow. I soon fell asleep.

7:20 PM

I awoke in darkness. My heart leaped. How long had I been sleeping? Where was Evelyn? I jumped up and hurried into the kitchen. I looked at the clock and panicked. I found Evelyn in the bedroom watching television. I was upset that she let me sleep that long. I immediately started checking on the world situation. Luckily, I found no immediate problems to address. She defended herself by saying that I needed the sleep, and that I needed to be sharp for tonight. Come to find out, she also had taken a nap during the afternoon in anticipation of staying up all night with me. I calmed down once I realized that there were no apparent problems.

My nerves were on edge, and I didn't have much patience. I knew that I needed to control myself and temper my reactions. My stomach was beginning to gnaw once again, and Evelyn volunteered to fix me something to eat. I decided that breakfast food would be best, and she gathered some bacon, eggs, and cheese to prepare a quick high protein meal to keep me going. As I finished my omelet and bacon, I thanked her for the evening breakfast. I was shaking from the coffee and the impending mission that would be the deciding factor on the fate of this world. I hadn't spent any time considering what we would do if I failed. It was rather moot. I really didn't want to flee to the rain forest of Brazil just to keep breathing.

9:00 PM

I checked on the situation in Pakistan. The Boppers weren't in place yet, but they were making great progress toward Islamabad. It appeared that everyone had made good preparation. The United States felt much more secure now that personnel had been tested and coup operatives had been detained. The flurry of activity was beginning to settle down, and several members of the operation had paused for naps to be able to attend the final strike in the wee hours of tomorrow morning. All we could do now was wait for everyone to get into place, so I decided to settle in with Evelyn and watch television for a while. We agreed to keep one another awake.

11:45 PM

Evelyn and I had just finished watching the nightly news. We were both amazed that the world was on the brink of possible destruction, and no one was remotely aware. Only the small population of the intelligence communities in several countries knew what was happening. It made me wonder how many other near disasters had been averted without our knowledge. I really didn't want to know. We turned the television off and made another pot of coffee. I was getting rather sick of drinking coffee, and after this was all over, I imagined that I wouldn't want any for at least a week.

It was time to give Eddie a call to prepare for the night's activity. He made me promise to give him a play by play account of what was happening over the phone once we launched our final strike. He had the emails ready to send at my request. All we had to do now was wait. The Boppers were starting to move into position, and so far I couldn't find any problems. There may have to be a last minute shifting of troops depending on the final whereabouts of my targets, but I was 99% sure that I knew where they would be. I decided to keep tabs on them during the last hour before our strike just in case someone wasn't in place. That was when I realized that I needed six more targets as alternatives. I couldn't afford to come up short on email recipients.

I did more research to find some reasonable alternates for the devastating emails. Originally, I thought that I had a decent population to choose from, but when I considered the number of operatives who would be attending the distribution of the virus, it narrowed my choices considerably. The Black Hole was taking his portion of the memory virus to the United Nations, so I counted on him to be there. As I scanned the possible alternates, I became aware of the eight couriers who would be dispatching the virus to other countries. This provided me with enough names to give to Eddie as alternate recipients to use at the last minute, if needed. Only seven total emails would be sent. I just needed to provide him with the emails and let him know which ones were the targets.
Monday, February 25, 2:15 AM

The last six months seemed like six years. Normally, time appeared to pass at an alarming rate, but the last half year dragged on at a snail's pace. I couldn't believe that this was about to be over one way or another. Evelyn and I were sipping coffee. Eddie was on the speaker phone. We were making small talk and waiting for the opportune time when everyone was in place. As far as I could see at this point, we were on target with an anticipated 100% success rate. It made me a little nervous to be that optimistic, but so far I had no reason to believe differently.

Evelyn asked Eddie if Angela was there with him. Eddie explained that he had kept Angela as unaware as possible concerning the gravity of our mission. He didn't want to jeopardize her in any way that was unnecessary. In fact, he had decided that he would never disclose this to anyone. I appreciated that, because I held the same sentiment. It would be too dangerous to divulge this to anyone other than the three of us. Five of the six email recipients were in place. Three of the alternatives were available, but they had been my second choices. I wouldn't use one of them unless I absolutely needed. I had carefully chosen my original list due to the severity of the email results. I really didn't want to use an alternate unless it was necessary.

3:15 AM

The last recipient still hadn't arrived. There was an interesting dichotomy between the players on both sides. The team that I was leading was anxious, apprehensive, and nervous about the operation. The coup operatives were totally unaware of their impending fate and had no sense of urgency. I focused on the last email recipient who hadn't yet arrived at the lab. He was in a conversation with someone about some mundane aspect of his life. I couldn't determine when his conversation might end. I was going to wait just five more minutes before I pulled the trigger. Evelyn was making another pot of coffee and made me promise not to start until she returned. Eddie was waiting for the final instructions. I could detect the apprehension in Pakistan. I wasn't the only one who was on pins and needles. I think it was the adrenalin rush that everyone got just prior to the execution of a mission.

Finally, the last original email candidate showed up for work. Evelyn walked in with fresh coffee. I gave Eddie the signal, and he sent the seven emails in rapid succession. I could only contact six of them to get them to open the email and click the link. The Black Hole was off limits to me, but his email that contained his name had been sent to a coup member to forward it to him. I had to be sure that each recipient clicked the link. One, two, three recipients had clicked on it. Within seconds, they dropped from my radar as three more black holes that I couldn't read. The letters had unscrambled in full screen mode, displaying the name of each overlord to a recipient, causing him to be inhabited by the overlord, just as the Black Hole had inhabited the descendant that Eddie and I once knew long ago. I knew it was working. Four, five. I just needed the last one, and then I would give my signal to move in. I was getting nervous. I needed to finish this. Finally, number six disappeared from my detection as he became the home of the last overlord. I sent the implanted thought to the Commander in Chief for the Boppers to apprehend the perpetrators.

Eddie and Evelyn were all ears. Troops rushed into the lab where the virus was being packaged for distribution. Thirty one members of the coup were apprehended. The lab was placed under a lock down, and the Boppers were locating the vials of the manufactured memory virus. The confiscated computer logs were checked and supervisors of the mission were trying to account for the vials to see if any were missing from the batches that had been gathered in the lab. The final results determined that all vials had been accounted for, and they packaged the viral transport collection kits into locked, steel units to be taken to Atlanta, Georgia where the Center for Disease Control could perform analysis.

Although it appeared that we had been successful, I still had a major concern. During the final minutes of our waiting, I had been focused on the six email recipients to detect if they were in place. I should have been accounting for all persons who were gathered in the room when I gave the command to move in, but I had overlooked that step. I could detect from the Boppers that a total of thirty one operatives had been apprehended, but I didn't know how many were in the room prior to the strike. I was monitoring the prisoners to see who I could recognize. I expected to find seven black hole operatives in custody that I couldn't read due to being inhabited by an overlord of the defected overseers. I was able to read twenty five prisoners. Only six overlords were being detained within the bodies of the email recipients. I was missing someone, but I was unable to identify who it was. Without being able to read the minds of the black hole operatives, I didn't know who got away.

It was impossible for me to track someone who was inhabited by one of the overlords. I had no way of knowing where he might be or what he was doing. It would take contact with another person, and even then I would have to know who the contact was to read his mind. I was getting nervous. This was just the sort of unforeseen loose end that I feared could happen. Eddie and Evelyn were nervous as well. I had let Eddie get off the phone and promised to call him when I had any information. Evelyn was pacing the floor until I finally asked her to sit down. She was increasing my apprehension. I would have to wait until each of the prisoners was interrogated in order to find out who escaped. I could cross check the prisoner names with the email recipients once they had been identified. Then I would know who was still at large.

6:00 AM

I decided to focus on the other sites of the operation. The coup was collapsing like dominoes as more and more operatives were taken into custody. The count in Pakistan had reached 246 by this point, and they were far from being finished. Now that the final blow had been struck, all of the countries that were on alert were making arrests as quickly as possible, and I was supplying as many names as I could. Countless members of the coup had been rounded up worldwide. So far, it seemed as though we had been successful. I couldn't imagine that one lone overlord would be able to reconstruct the coup within a decade. Nonetheless, I needed to know who was missing. Although the vials had been accounted for, I wasn't convinced that another supply didn't exist apart from the one at the lab. It would take more research to find out if any more might be somewhere else.

9:00 AM

Once the Boppers had finished their tasks within the lab, the prisoners were moved to an interrogation site for questioning. The Boppers then vanished like a vapor. Although Pakistan had lost a considerable number of members in government who were part of the coup, they were capable of handling the operation from here. The prisoners had been isolated and were waiting in separate interrogation rooms. I could now determine who was captured once they began their questioning. I just needed to read the interrogators to get the information to make the identifications of the six email recipients.

10:45 AM

The interrogations had begun. I popped in on the questioning to see what was happening. None of the interrogators was getting any answers, but at least I could identify who was in custody by name. I matched the names with the corresponding overlord email names. I marked off the emails with the corresponding number of the name. I finally had my answer. Why was I not surprised to find it was my original Black Hole, the chieftain of the defected overlords? I had no way of keeping tabs on him at any time, so I couldn't be absolutely sure where he was at the time of the strike. I went to work right away notifying the officials in Pakistan and the United States that there was still a major operative at large who was designated to carry the virus to the United Nations. Although I doubted that the plan would still be executed, the officials in the U. S. had the National Security Administration on alert.

I still needed to drive home the fact that these six specific prisoners were to be protected and kept from anyone else. Above all, they should be detained in a fashion that would prevent any possible attempt at suicide. I needed to keep these prisoners in good health and locked away for as long as possible. The overseers wouldn't let loose of a soul to feed on, and only death would release them. The longer they were detained, the longer they would be isolated from the rest of the world. This was their one weakness that worked to my advantage. My goal was to capture all seven, but at least I had delivered six, who were now in custody.

1:45 PM

Evelyn and I were about to drop. The lack of sleep, stress, and excitement of the night had drained us. At this point, I didn't see what else I needed to do that required my immediate attention. I would naturally continue to monitor the situation to see if anything got out of hand over the next few days. My main concern was the incarceration and protection of the six prisoners who were holding the overlords captive. Their ages ranged from thirty-five to sixty-two. I was hoping to keep them in isolation for at least ten years. Although no one knew about the extra-dimensional aspect of the coup, in the very least, the world was aware of the new terrorism that lurked in the shadows and spread without detection. Several things had been disclosed, and peace talks were being planned over the next three months with the intention of signing agreements to help prevent further threats like the one that was just averted.

Evelyn and I looked at one another. We headed into the bathroom, pulled the shades, showered, put on our pajamas and went to bed. We talked for about twenty minutes before we were both snoring soundly. What a weekend it had been! Although I didn't feel the assurance of a complete victory, I certainly did feel that we had postponed nuclear war for the time being. I dreamed so much during our long nap. My subconscious had a lot to deal with, and I remembered that dreams were tied to our negotiations.

6:45 PM

I awoke before Evelyn. I still had some unfinished business to attend, like the inseminated women who thought they conceived but really didn't. I still felt badly about having to do that. I also needed to do some follow up on the rest of the members of the coup and see if I could detect any more virus vials that might have escaped our grasp. Evelyn would most likely be starving when she awoke, and I needed to get breakfast started soon. However, before I engaged in the mundane aspects of life, I thought it would be best to monitor the world situation again before I made our evening breakfast. I started with the leaders in Pakistan. Something was wrong. I was getting nothing. I couldn't find anyone. I started to panic. I then tried to contact the American operatives. I was coming up blank. This was terrible. I woke Evelyn to let her know that I couldn't find any of the leaders of Pakistan or the Americans. She blinked a few times trying to awaken enough to understand what I had just told her. After a few moments she looked at me in wonderment. It was then that I realized I couldn't read her mind. She smiled and whispered, "It's good to have my husband back." Tears were streaming down her cheeks. I held her tightly as she silently wept.

It was gone. The countless stream of thoughts had ceased. It was like an incessant radio had been turned off. I was suddenly aware of the silence. I had forgotten what it was like to be somewhat normal. I could still remember everything that I learned, but my power to read minds and plant thoughts and memories had ceased. This was a positive sign for me. My mission was accomplished, and I could get back to my everyday mundane life, which I certainly appreciated more after all of this.

I gave Eddie a call to let him know that he needn't worry about me reading his mind anymore. He was elated. I invited him and Angela over for dinner whenever they finished moving her to his house. Evelyn was anxious to meet her. Life would seem so easy now compared to the last six months. Eddie and I would have a lot of new subject matter to cover during our weekly dinners. I felt like a new person.

Evelyn and I decided to celebrate. We passed on the breakfast food idea. We opened a bottle of Chianti and settled into the kitchen to cook together. We had everything for a great lasagne. We felt refreshed from our nap and spent the next two hours assembling a fantastic lasagne with caramelized onion, garlic, tomatoes, Italian sausage, green pepper, spinach, mozzarella, Parmesan, feta, mushrooms, and a rich broth reduced for intense flavor. We baked it for two hours at 350 degrees, made a salad, and retired to the back porch for a late Italian dinner. I opened another bottle of wine. We ate, laughed, sang, and even danced a little. What a burden had been lifted.

11:00 PM

As we sat in the darkness on the back porch, Evelyn drifted off to sleep. I recounted some of the things that I had learned from the newly descended soul. My consternation over being chosen for this assignment had been confounded by my assessment of the overseers. They certainly seemed a lot more capable than I was to do battle with the defectors in the extra-dimensional world. However, when it came to doing battle in this earthly realm among human beings, they lacked the one essential thing that we descendants have available to us, which is faith. The anointed one had descended as a human to exercise that very aspect of his existence on this earthly plane with absolute success in fulfilling his negotiation. I would never view the world again as I had before. I felt enriched by my experience, but to be honest, if I had the chance to do it again, I think I would pass. I suppose that's why the Creator doesn't ask our permission to fulfill our negotiation after we have descended. I was fairly certain that I had negotiated this with him long ago. Someday, it would all be disclosed.

My thoughts then turned to the Creator. I never considered that he ever needed faith. After all, he knew all things, right? Or did he? It certainly can't be proven, but if the slate had been erased at one point with a global deluge as can be seen in geology with the flood layer, then why do it over? The billions of years of creation and all of the work and magnificence that we got to watch for so long seemed senseless if the Creator knew everything. I mean, why bother? I realized that he was wanting a return on his investment of what he initially instilled in us, which was the understanding of Truth during our negotiation. So, if he knew everything then, there was no need for faith in his investment. Rather, I believe that the Creator had faith in us to carry out our negotiations and to learn and grow in understanding, faith, and wisdom. We had free will, and if living here didn't account for everything, then he would have lined us all up and separated us from the beginning, but he didn't. He allowed us to negotiate a life here and to choose what opportunity that we wanted in the life experience. If we chose a short life, then we limited our chances of producing a greater return for him. Our choices began long before we came to this earth. It only made sense now. Those who believe that we never existed before our birth here on earth are left with a myriad of unanswered questions. I had learned a lot, but I knew there was an infinite number of things that I still needed to learn. I would never exhaust the endless realm of Truth.

## **CHAPTER TEN**

### **_Epilogue_**
Thursday, March 21, 7:00 PM

Eddie and Angela had settled in together. Her house was on the market in Boise, and she had put her furniture into storage to be retrieved at a later date. Eddie and she had driven her car to his house. I ventured to guess that he didn't mind traveling with her as much as he did with me. That was a much longer trip too. I hadn't seen Eddie since he went to Boise over a couple of months ago. Evelyn and I gave them time to settle in before we invited them over for dinner. Evelyn was anxious to meet Angela, and I had spoken so highly of Angela that Evelyn had already determined they would become good friends. I didn't doubt that.

Eddie and Angela had agreed to come over tonight. They were due to arrive at our house at any moment. Evelyn and I had prepared a low carb meal since I knew some of Angela's preferences. We had baked spaghetti squash with a fresh tomato sauce, turkey Italian sausage, and a Greek salad to serve for dinner. We also had a great Cabernet to offer. We were putting the finishing touches on dinner when Eddie and Angela pulled into our driveway. I opened the front door as they were coming up the front walk. It had been a rainy day but warmer than usual for this time of year. The Japanese maple was still dripping rain water on the walkway, so they hurried to get onto the front porch. It was so good to see Angela again. I had forgotten how beautiful she was, and I was relieved not to be able to read her mind. Evelyn was anxious to hear about their plans together. As Eddie stepped inside the door and handed me his raincoat, he told me that he had somewhat of a surprise for me after dinner, and I was certain that they would tell us that they had set a wedding date.

Evelyn had engaged Angela in conversation while Eddie watched me divide the squash and get the rest of the meal ready to serve. It was good to see him again, and he had a glow about him that I had never seen before. I knew that he and Angela were happy to have found one another. The dinner conversation was light, and we never mentioned our mission or the world situation. In fact, it was the last topic I ever wanted to discuss. It was good to feel somewhat normal again, and I was so happy not to be able to read everyone's mind. It truly was a relief. I opened a second bottle of wine with everyone's permission. We were just finishing dinner, and Evelyn had a flourless chocolate torte that she had prepared for dessert which we all decided to enjoy about an hour after dinner.

As Angela was helping Evelyn clear the table, Eddie wanted to talk to me on the back porch. We grabbed our wine glasses and let the women tend to the dishes. Once we entered the porch, Eddie reached into his sports jacket and pulled out an envelope. I immediately protested, "If that's a check for $10,000, I'm tearing it up right here and now."

Eddie just grinned and nodded for me to be patient. "Not even close, Mr. Ex-mindreader."

For the first time in a very long while I felt at a disadvantage. "So, what is it?"

"It's a letter from the Secretary of Defense of the United States of America. He's interested in another contract."

"That's fantastic, Eddie! You're going to get to market your email security package after all."

"Well, he's not interested in my software."

"Don't tell me they are still tracking the mysterious emailer."

Eddie chuckled. "No, no! It's nothing like that. Well, at least I'm pretty sure it's not. It made me curious, so I gave him a call. His secretary took my message, and he called me back."

"Wow! What does he want?"

"Well, I don't know all of the particulars. He wants us to come to D. C. to discuss a request for a proposal that's exclusive."

"What do you mean? Is Angela going with you?"

"No, not Angela!"

"So, who's 'we?'"

"Well, that would be you and me."

"I don't understand. Why me?"

"He asked for you specifically."

"Me?! This doesn't sound good, Eddie. They must know something."

"Oh, I'm sure they know something, all right, but I don't think we need to be worried. This could be extremely lucrative. He mentioned something about seven figures."

"But what would they want with me? I don't have any special powers anymore. This doesn't sound good, I'll tell you."

"Calm down. I think they are more interested in what you know. You still have your knowledge, right?"

"Certainly, but I can't imagine what they would want."

"That's why he wants us to come to D. C. If we don't want the contract, we can decline and leave. He seems to think we'll want it though. He just can't discuss it on the phone, by mail, or email. We have to sign nondisclosure statements before he will divulge the assignment. This RFP is exclusive to only us."

"Well, it does sound intriguing."

"Besides, Adriel, they are paying for our airfare. It will be an exciting day regardless of what we choose."

"Oh, no! I think we should drive."

"There's no way I'm taking a road trip with you, Adriel."

"Come on! It will be fun. We can play road games, sing songs, or listen to audio books."

"No way! We fly in, hear what they have to say and fly home, all in one day. You're proposing a three day trip. I'm not taking three days out of my schedule just because you don't like to fly."

"What's your hurry? Besides, we could use a little break together."

Evelyn and Angela could hear the banter that was taking place on the back porch. Angela gave Evelyn a puzzled look. Evelyn just shook her head and smiled. "Eddie has never flown with Adriel. He doesn't know what he's getting into."

The end, for now.
About the Author

Adriel Jacques Chevalier descended from a French family that migrated to the Netherlands before immigrating to the United States. His ancestors were jewelers and watchmakers for many generations. However, Adriel was never adept with handling the delicate parts of tiny machinery. Instead, he turned his interests to the software industry that was just becoming popular early in his adult life. He found that logic and problem solving better suited his skills, and he excelled in his field.

Adriel's elder sister had taught him to read and write at the age of three. Due to boredom suffered from structured learning, he sought to educate himself from his youth. He spent decades studying ancient history and various writings, mostly Christian and Judaic literature. Some of his studies he opted to conduct in the pre-translated, original language to gain a clearer understanding.

Always frustrated with the structure and politics of organized religion, he sought relationships according to the instruction of the Messiah, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst." Adriel recognized that the Messiah's name was synonymous with his authority, which is Truth, and that any group larger than three brought annoying problems.

Adriel and his fellows departed from the mainstream teaching of the established religions and embarked on a journey that led them on a quest for intrinsic Truth. Through many enlightening revelations and miraculous experiences, Adriel came to recognize that much of what is taught today concerning the Creator and his anointed one is rubbish. He forsook the erroneous cliches, rhetoric, and discrepancies of the religious culture and embraced Truth, which is available to any man, anywhere, at any time.

Although it was contrary to Adriel's belief system to share his findings in a rhetorical document, in his later years, he decided to envelop them into a work of fiction to be enjoyed by others. 
