Lake Genève – Switzerland – February 15th, 2037
The Charles Le Montreux Palace Conference Room at Montreux, Switzerland had been packed the night before well beyond its one thousand five hundred person capacity. Those present hadn’t been there to experience the quaint, picture postcard setting; the bracing mountain air; the magnificent view across Lake Genève toward the Alps. Neither were they particularly interested in the traditionally elegant and refined luxury of the Palace itself.
No, the reason why virtually every scientist, engineer, and industrialist of import fought to be there was that it had been the venue for the most lusted after technological extravaganza ever held; a free-for-all where the Guardians made available a treasure-trove of wonders in an effort to kick-start mankind’s leap toward a better future.
Even those who couldn’t be there in person were happy to settle for the multitude of public wireless and high speed internet links the Conciliator’s office provided.
And they hadn’t been disappointed.
True to their word, leading Guardian specialists, led by none other than the Lord Marshal—a huge powerhouse of a man of African origins—highlighted several areas that techno-groupies and science buffs should concentrate on. Their information contained vital pointers and suggestions that should, in theory, lead to a self-sustaining domino effect pathway of discovery and enlightenment. Consultants were delighted to find material covering many areas of significance, including mitigator and shielding principles, clean fuel sourcing, and atmospheric modification.
The worldwide implications of this targeted guidance would be astonishing in the protection of future eco-system dynamics and sustainability. Not only would it directly impact upon restored natural weather cycles, a strengthened ozone layer and cleaner, and much more efficient industrial processing plants, but it would also afford better protection from natural disasters as well as provide fresh ideas for transportation and energy production.
Needless to say, those present or watching pounced on the proffered gems like starving lions on a baby gazelle. Every available morsel was devoured.
As an additional carrot, the Lord Marshal went on to reveal that the Guardians would be opening the site of their former academy on Earth as a place for advanced learning. Such a move would afford those scientists leading the charge in the testing and development of new technologies a safe and secure environment to conduct their experiments under the watchful eye of those who had a much deeper understanding of the pitfalls involved.
It went without saying; such disclosures were met with unanimous approval.
The only downside—if it could be called that—was the attitude displayed by military representatives of certain countries who still appeared far too insular for their own good.
They had arrived ever hungry and full of ripe and eager anticipation, only to leave with a sour taste in their mouths. The Lord Marshal himself reminded them that recent events proved beyond doubt that society needed to concentrate on a collective agenda. Global and not national security was now the priority. As Abaddon’s incursion proved, there would always be a need for a planetary defensive capability. To emphasize how important such a change in focus was, the Lord Marshal went to great lengths to stress to those diehards that he was the person who rubber-stamped all day-to-day activities and operations of the Guardians, including the curriculums they would be sharing with the public. If they didn’t want to get left behind, they needed to adopt a new work ethic.
Fortunately, that hint did not go ignored by all.
The mood brightened again during the second half of the conference when it was revealed that the end of the month would bring additional releases. Guardian healers were planning to provide further insights to help improve the medical assessment and diagnostic scanning of patients, along with more advanced, noninvasive alternatives to treatments for all forms of cerebral and cardio vascular disease.
They also wished to present a complete map of the human genome, along with those DNA and RNA nucleotides that would help doctors and other experts mark and eliminate all known precursors to cancer.
A euphoric mood prevailed and once again the world’s media were propounding that everyone should get on board the Guardian Express to destination, Futuresville.
*
Old District – Tokyo – February 19th, 2037
Lei Yeung read the reports in front of him twice; both times with a great deal of interest. The first had been compiled by one of the Council’s representatives who had attended the Science Conference in Switzerland several days earlier, Peter Dyer.
Peter was a C.O. of the Advanced Technologies and Research Department of Yeung Technologies itself, based in Texas, USA. An MIT graduate in Computer Sciences and Artificial Intelligence, he had always displayed a voracious appetite for knowledge and was a recognized leader in matters of theoretical physics and Self Aware-Self Learning matrices.
His novel application of those systems led to a number of breakthroughs in various genetic research studies around the globe, which concentrated on mapping the human genome and pinpointing recessive genes for modification. Those efforts had given Yeung Technologies a huge lead against their competitors.
Peter’s place as a member of the audience that evening had been vouchsafed by his credentials and the weight the Corporation was able to put behind his application. As such, he had gleaned some very insightful leads as to how to apply his company’s acumen to stay ahead of the opposition in the new fields of research now opening up.
But Peter’s attendance proved useful in other ways too. He was gifted, in that he only had to touch an object or thing to be able to read a history of everything occurring to and around it. He could also pick up certain stronger impressions regarding the people who had handled the article previously, and it was this facet of his talent that motivated him as a youngster to always crave knowledge. His ability worked with actual people on occasion, giving him an edge at times like this.
During the evening, Peter made a point of socializing and exchanging ideas on various subjects with other scientists. Of course, he ensured to include several Guardians in on those discussions too. His natural reserve helped to mask his motives, which was just as well, for he soon perceived that even the younger Guardians appeared to employ privacy screens around their minds and bodies, preventing anyone delving into their psyches.
Yeung appreciated how Peter’s account not only highlighted the danger this trait represented, but went on to make several recommendations as to how it might be countered in future. Indeed, those details revealed how Peter Dyer himself overcame such a hurdle, for as the evening wore on, he’d chanced upon an amazing discovery.
By engaging the Guardians in an animated discourse on their relevant disciplines and by maintaining friendly social contact, he was later able to skim aspects of their specialized knowledge from the various items they had touched or held at the time of the conversation. In that way, he successfully gleaned a number of fortuitous insights regarding the advancement of microwave and mitigator technology, and atmospheric manipulation.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Both Yeung Technologies and the Council itself would benefit greatly from such intelligence, as it was another string to an ever widening bow ensuring their continued dominance.
All in all, Yeung thought it a very promising start. Another convention was scheduled for the end of the month at the same venue, this one concentrating on Peter’s specific area of expertise: that of medical research. And the personal invitations extended to Peter by several new Guardian acquaintances would guarantee his ringside seat at a goodly proportion of the symposiums.
Feeling inspired, Yeung turned his attention to the other matter on his desk; the return of an old problem he had thought was gone for good. I have an idea how to avoid a direct confrontation, but I’ll need to get the others on board to make our strategy an effective one. Fortunately, I know just the people to give them a little incentive!
*
Exeter – England – February 21st, 2037
Samantha Drake could not begin to express the profound feelings of relief she felt having heard the news that the Guardians were back and intending to stay. At last, she would have the opportunity to right a huge mistake made only a year before.
Always a very private person, Samantha had never liked publicity. And the circumstances surrounding Joshua’s original rescue only reinforced those feelings, for they had gone on to cause her a great deal of personal stress; stress that had been compounded when news broke that it was the Overlord himself who saved her son. The paparazzi swarmed all over them after that and she’d been forced to go through a huge amount of irritating bother to get suitable court orders in place to enforce her family’s right to privacy. A right she had jealously guarded since then.
The Guardians themselves were also keen to ensure Joshua was protected. So much so, that they offered to move her entire family to Australia or New Zealand—her choice— while Joshua attended their best training facility. Being the fool she was, she’d turned them down flat, feeling everything was happening too quickly.
Not easily thwarted, the Guardians proposed a compromise, whereby someone would come on a regular basis to teach Joshua and help him retain proper control over his newly emerging powers. Samantha hadn’t wanted that either. Viewing it as another form of intrusion, she threw a rather spectacular tantrum and banned them from the house.
Needless to say, she came to regret that decision deeply as the months went by; and all the more so after the exodus.
Joshua had always been a hyperactive black hole, having the unnatural ability to drain the energy of everyone around him without apparent effort. And that was before his extrasensory gifts had emerged!
Now they had, Samantha suffered the ignominy of his telepathic intrusions on a regular, almost daily basis, whereby he would sort through her personal effects remotely, from the comfort of his very own bedroom. If that wasn’t demeaning enough, Joshua would then use his burgeoning telekinesis to pluck those items that took his fancy away from their supposed place of safety and into his grubby little hands, where he would inspect them at his leisure.
Samantha found it so unnerving. In the past, the thumping of his little feet across the floor gave her some warning of his evil plans. Now he could do things the sneaky way. And boy, did he love that!
His infantile precociousness—displayed as with most children, in a naturally self-centered and naïve manner—was becoming hazardous too, for he simply could not appreciate how dangerous some of his antics were.
No, it was not a good idea to bake teddy in the oven so he could watch him turn crispy with his farsight. No, Patch, their black and white cat of four years, did not like to have someone make him fly or swim with telekinesis, or have things thrown at him to make him jump. And no, it was definitely not funny to play volcanoes on the carpet with burning coals from the fireplace!
She soon reached the end of her tether and wanted something done to ensure her sanity, along with the safety of her home, remained intact.
So frustrated had Samantha become that she’d given in to the persistent cold-calling by specialists from Japan who purported to be the world’s leading civilian experts on paranormal behavioral research. Somehow, the company—Insight Solutions—always managed to keep up to speed with Samantha’s ever-changing catalogue of electronic addresses, passwords and telephone numbers.
Badgering her with e-mails, letters and direct calls, they’d assured Samantha that they were ideally suited to help Joshua come to terms with his gifts in a stress free environment away from the limelight.
That offer became more appealing every day, as it grew to include all relocation expenses involved, subsidized housing, free dental and healthcare, a full scholarship for Joshua at an exclusive college, and term break holidays for the whole family at themed adventure centers around the world. In the end, the opportunity of any respite from Joshua’s antics became too tempting to resist.
Just after the Christmas, Samantha gave in and contacted Insight, only to find one of their representatives on her doorstep the very next morning.
However, what started out as a day of hope swiftly deteriorated when Joshua stubbornly refused to leave his room, holding the door firmly shut with his TK. Samantha could remember the incident now, all these weeks later, as if it were yesterday:
Standing on the upstairs landing together with the Insight consultant, Hope McCall, Samantha tried vainly to get her son to comply. But it was no use; she might as well have been trying to walk through solid rock. Making light of the situation, she threw her arms in the air and, addressing their guest, exclaimed, “Get used to it! Seriously. If he’s anything like his father, this strop will last for as long as it’s inconvenient for us or ceases to be a source of amusement to him.”
Turning, Samantha rattled the handle again. “Come on, Josh. There’s a visitor here to see you. She’s come a long way.”
“No!”
“Joshua, don’t be naughty. Open the door!”
“No! I don’t want to.”
Samantha glanced at the woman beside her and shrugged an apology. “He’s not normally this bad. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”
“Would you like me to try?” Mrs. McCall asked in a kindly manner, “I have a way with children and might have better luck?”
“Yes, if you think it will do any good.”
Stepping away, Samantha allowed the consultant to place her hands against both sides of the doorframe. “Hello, Joshua, my name’s Hope. Some friends of mine asked me to come by after your mom turned to them, asking for help with your needs.”
The silence was deafening.
“Don’t be frightened,” she cooed, patiently, “I’m special like you and know what it’s like to be different. I want to be your friend.”
Samantha remembered how Mrs. McCall had then pressed her head against one of the panels and closed her eyes in concentration, only to jump away an instant later as if she’d been scalded. “What the bloody hell was that?”
A muffled voice called out from inside, “I said go away. You’re not a good person really. Why do you want to take me away from mommy?”
Samantha hadn’t registered what Joshua said at first, being more embarrassed than anything. “I’m so sorry. He’s getting very defiant lately. I just don’t know what to do for the best.”
“Mommy, tell the naughty lady to go away, she’s not nice.”
That’s when something clicked in the back of Samantha’s mind, causing an icicle of fear to trickle along her spine. “What does that mean, Joshua? Isn’t she like your special friend who brought you the lightning ball?”
“No, she wants to hurt you.”
Suddenly frightened, Samantha looked toward the consultant, only to find a mask of hatred staring back. Mrs. McCall’s teeth were bared. She began to advance on Samantha, snarling, “You’ll not stop us this ti. . .”
She’d only managed to take one step before Samantha discovered what her soon to be six-year-old son could do. The woman’s facial expression changed from one of loathing to wide-eyed horrified shock. Then she disappeared and Samantha was left all alone.
Beside her, the lock clicked open. Joshua leaped out, his bottom lip protruding in an expression of fear and anger, and wrapped himself tightly around her legs. A voice echoed in her mind: Sorry, Mommy, but the nasty lady was telling lies. She was going to hurt you, so I sent her away.
Samantha ruffled his hair and hugged him tightly. “That’s okay, Joshua. It’s okay, Mommy loves you.”
Ushering Joshua back into his room, she found the orb, given to him over a year before by the Overlord, lying on the bed. He liked to hold it whenever he was upset or frightened as it seemed to comfort him in some way. Sitting down, she cuddled him close and asked, “Where did you send her, Joshua?”
His solemn little face turned thoughtful for a moment. “I don’t know. I wanted her to go away and she did.”
Another, deeper chill ran down Samantha’s spine.
Why, oh why did I refuse the Guardians help? I should have got on board and done the sensible thing from the word go. What the hell’s going to happen now?
Her son looked up at her and, in response to her thoughts, patted her knee. “Don’t worry. They’ll be coming back soon. They have to, because something nasty’s coming to get us and we’ll need their help.”
“What? How do you know all this?”
Snuggling in even closer, Joshua went quiet for a moment as if considering how best answer. Eventually, he pulled a face—the one usually reserved for when he didn’t want to eat his vegetables—and, in a matter-of-fact way replied, “I don’t know, I just do.”
Subsequent enquiries by Samantha and her lawyer failed to establish the existence of any company registered by the title: Insight Solutions. Nor was anyone by the name, Hope McCall, ever reported missing.
In hindsight Samantha knew why, and reflecting on those events now made her mightily relieved that the time had arrived for her to begin putting past mistakes behind her.