The Man Who Came From Nowhereby Rod Hamon |
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| part 3 of 4 |
Zac had few close friends at university and always preferred to work alone. Although twenty years of age, he still lived at home.
One evening, his sister Alicia had a friend around. The girl looked over to where Zac was sitting, head buried in a book and glasses perched on the end of his nose. She leaned over to Alicia and whispered, “He’s cute. But is he always this quiet?”
“Real boffin,” replied Alicia, and, rolling her eyes, added: “Total bore.”
It was a few days later; Zac had just started breakfast when the phone rang. It was a lecturer from the university.
“Heard the news, Zac?”
“What news?”
“It’s a volcano in the Philippines, close to a large city: just erupted. They’re evacuating people as fast as they can. Any ideas?”
“How fast can you get me there? I’ll need my equipment.”
“I’ll get straight onto it!”
Within hours, Zac was on his way.
He arrived and immediately surveyed the scene, took measurements and installed a device that he had invented called a resonator. It was placed near the base of the volcano where it could be activated remotely. Almost immediately, the earth tremors ceased and the volcano returned to its dormant self.
Following his success, the university arranged a presentation in Zac’s honour. He sat centre stage elbows on his knees, looking down at the floor as the chairman introduced him.
He rose to his feet and was presented with an award. The audience were then invited to ask him questions.
“Zac, tell us about the equipment you used on the Philippines volcano?” someone asked.
He hesitated shyly. “Well, for a while now, I’ve been trying to find a way to control the magna flows by synchronizing with their natural resonant frequencies. The resonator I used on the Philippines volcano worked pretty well but...” He raised his hand. “But it’s still in its early stages. Setting it up is critical: a slight miscalculation can be disastrous.”
Another man stood up. “Zac, you seem to be keeping your theories to yourself. Some have even accused you of being secretive.”
Zac attempted to smile. “There’s no secret; I want everyone to benefit from it and will be publishing my results as soon as my research is finished.”
A grim-faced man of scruffy appearance stood up next. The aggressiveness of his voice caused many to turn and stare.
“So, what will you get out of all this, apart from a heap of money? Or is that what it’s really all about? The Earth has survived for millions of years without the help of meddling scientists. So why do we need you?”
The man slumped back into his seat.
Zac raised his eyebrows, but appeared unruffled. “I’m hoping my work will benefit mankind in controlling seismic activity. If it achieves that... well, that will be reward enough.”
He was not used to so much attention and gazed nervously into the sea of faces.
As he looked round, he noticed a face. It was a face that shone out from the rest: a girl in her early twenties. Her pale blue eyes sparkled and remain fixed on his. They never wavered. Even though she wore no makeup, her complexion was radiantly pure. He turned away for a moment, and then looked back. She smiled at him, revealing the most perfectly even white teeth he had ever seen. For the first time in his life he was looking at perfection.
The sounds about him seemed to fade into the far distance. He could see only one person. A halo enveloped her face. For a moment, he forgot where he was.
He blinked his eyes and lifted his head and looked around at the crowd again, and then returned his gaze to where the girl had been standing. She had turned and was disappearing into the crowd. He just caught a glimpse of her off-white sleeveless dress as she vanished from view.
Over the next few days, Zac spent hours walking around the university watchful for any sign of the mysterious girl. He described her to fellow students but no one remembered seeing her.
Three days later, he was in a crowd of students waiting to attend a lecture when someone tapped him gently on the shoulder. He turned. It was her, as beautiful as ever, her face pure and radiant.
“Hello, Zac.”
He had practised what he would say if he met her again but now he was lost for words.
“Oh. Hello.”
The corridor was crowded, so she stood close to him. But remained close even when the students moved off.
“Don’t you want to know my name?” she asked.
“Yes... yes, of course.”
“I’m Claudia.”
That name would be etched on his heart.
They talked for a while and then went separate ways.
They met again next day. She grabbed his arm, rested her head on his shoulder and looked up, child-like.
“Please tell me about your work, Zac. It sounds fascinating.”
“It’s all pretty dull, really,” he said nervously, not quite sure what to say.
“I’m sure it’s can’t be dull.”
He smiled and thought, “How could someone like this be interested in someone like me?”
“Come on, Zac. Tell me.”
“Well, I’ve always been... sort of... interested in volcanoes and... things. When I was a teenager, I read about this town — can’t remember where it was — but I know lots of people were killed when lava ran down a mountainside and destroyed their village. Since then, it’s been my dream, I suppose, to develop some way to control them.”
He thought for a moment and then smiled. “My stepfather, bless him, used to really encourage me.”
She nodded. “We’re all looking forward to reading all about your research, when it’s finished, Zac. You must have heaps of information.”
“Got drawers full of it in my desk at home!” He laughed. “I’m not a very tidy person!”
Claudia looked at her watch and, with a smile, said, “Must fly now. See you tomorrow, Zac.” She gave him a hug and then left.
But the moment she turned, her smile vanished and replaced by a look that would have confused Zac had he seen it.
A few weeks later, Zac took Claudia home to meet his mother.
“She’s a lovely girl, Zac. I’m so pleased you’ve met someone nice.”
The next day Claudia called on Zac’s mother again. They chatted for a while, then Claudia said: “Zac’s asked me to pick up some research papers. Needs them for some presentation this afternoon. Said they were in his desk.”
Zac phoned Claudia that night.
“What’s this about my research papers? What’ve you done with them?”
“Don’t panic, Zac. They’re quite safe. I was worried someone might steal them so I’ve put them a safe at the bank.”
“Wished you’d asked me first, Claudia.”
“They’re okay, Zac. No need to worry.”
He was quiet for a moment and then said, “Will I see you tomorrow night?”
“Have you forgotten? I always go to my art classes Wednesday nights.”
He said nothing.
“You okay?”
“I guess so.” He replied. “By the way, what do you do at these classes?”
Claudia laughed. “Don’t worry, silly; I’m not seeing someone else.” Then she added: “Can we have lunch Thursday?”
Zac brightened. “Sure.”
That night Zac awoke from sleep. He was puzzled by the weird dream. He dreamt that Thomas, his father was warning him. But warning him of what? He lay there for some time thinking.
“It’s Claudia isn’t it? He’s warning me about Claudia.”
When Claudia left her house Wednesday night, she looked very different; Zac would have hardly recognised her. She wore an ankle-length dress of rough canvas-like material and her pale makeup gave her a ghostly appearance.
She parked her car behind a row of shops and entered a dimly lit alley. Halfway down, concealed in a recess, was a doorway. She entered.
The interior of the room was illuminated by candles that cast eerie shadows on the walls. Some of the dozen or so people inside looked up as Claudia entered.
She sat down. Behind her on the wall was a poster that said: “Save the Planet from Meddlers.”
Almost immediately two men walked over and stood looking down at her. One of them had his hair tied back in a pigtail and “Don’t Mess with Nature” emblazoned across his black T-shirt.
The other had attempted to grow a beard. His wispy tufts of hair grew in sparse clumps from his face, giving him the appearance of a half-plucked chicken.
“Gonna give us an update?” growled the first man.
“I’ve got his papers. Got them yesterday.”
“Good. That should slow him down,” said the half-plucked chicken.
“Not so sure about that,” Claudia replied.
“What’d you mean?”
“He’s probably got most of this stuff in his head. It’s all he’s thought about for most of his life.”
The longhaired man lowered his voice. “There’s really only one option, then isn’t.”
She looked up. “What do you mean?”
Still speaking quietly he said, “We’ve got to do away with him, of course.”
“Do we have to? He’s not hurting anyone.”
The man became angry. He leaned over so that their faces almost touched. His breath stank of garlic.
“Have you completely forgotten the reason for your whole charade? And you did it so well, too, didn’t you: the adoring fan hanging onto every word he uttered.”
He was silent for a moment then bellowed, “Have you forgotten what this is all about?”
“No, I haven’t forgotten, but...”
“But what?”
“Well, why is it necessary to kill him?”
“Are you stupid or what? The Earth’s fragile; it doesn’t need interference from people like him. This man’s trouble: big trouble.”
Claudia was sullen and said nothing.
Then speaking in a whisper the man said, “I’ll give you something. Takes a few hours to work, but it’s lethal. Just one drop in his coffee — that’s all it takes.”
He paused then continued. “You all right with that?”
“I suppose.”
Claudia phoned Zac a few days later.
“Sorry, I wasn’t able to see you yesterday. I’ve got this major assignment and now my laptop’s gone stupid. I’ll never finish it in time now.”
“Like me to take a look?”
“Sure. Thanks.”
“I’ll call ’round this afternoon.”
Zac arrived and quickly fixed the laptop.
“You’re so clever, Zac. Wish I had a brain like yours,” she said with a smile. But as she turned her face became troubled.
“Glad to be of help, Claudia. But I must go; heaps of work to do.”
“At least have a coffee before you go.”
“Well...”
“Just sit back and take it easy,” she said and left the room.
Claudia took two cups from the cupboard and placed them on the bench. She flicked the switch on the percolator then gazed out the window.
She turned and reached up for a small bottle on a shelf. Claudia poured liquid from the bottle into one of the cups, and then added coffee from the percolator. She stood staring at the two cups then raised her voice.
“So, have you had a good day, Zac?” She assumed he was still sitting in the lounge room.
“Not bad,” he replied.
Startled, she turned around. Zac was standing in the doorway.
How long has he been there? Did he see me put the poison in the coffee? Does he know? she thought.
Claudia raised her eyebrows.
He said nothing and just smiled.
She breathed deeply. I don’t think he saw anything. Act as if nothing’s happened. Keep calm.
She reached for the cups and without looking up at him, squeezed past and headed for the lounge. Zac followed. She placed the cups on the table and said nothing.
Must remember which cup I put the poison in. Got to think. That’s it. I remember thinking: ‘The right cup.’ Wait a minute! Is that the one to drink from or the one to avoid? No, I’m sure I’m right. The right cup is the one I must drink from. That’s it: the right cup. The other one has the poison. Damn it! I wish I could be sure.
“Everything all right, Claudia? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m okay,” she mumbled.
Zac reached across and grabbed a cup and began drinking.
Claudia focussed her eyes on the one that remained. She laughed nervously. “Isn’t that strange? I don’t feel thirsty any more.”
“Course you do, Claudia,’ Zac said getting to his feet. He put his arm around her shoulders. “Drink up, then I’ll go and leave you to finish your assignment.”
She nodded and picked up the cup. I know: I’ll pretend to drop it, she thought and hesitated. No, I’m sure this is the right one. Claudia downed the contents.
Zac got to his feet and headed for the door. He looked back. “Probably see you tomorrow then, Claudia.”
Although Zac had become suspicious of Claudia, he had not seen her put poison in the coffee.
The crew of the spacecraft watched their monitors closely. They were looking for any sign of new information: a sign that Thomas and Zac had been successful.
“Anything yet?” asked one of them.
“Nothing,” Harlan replied.
“It’ll probably take a few more minutes before anything new filters in — that’s assuming Thomas has been successful. Get ready to mobilise the resonators as soon as we receive the data.”
One of the other men studied the Earth through the window. “If it doesn’t happen soon, we’ll have to abandon the mission.”
“Capsule approaching!” someone shouted.
A few minutes later the air lock opened and two men emerged.
“Glad we’re out of there!” cried Carl as he and Adam entered.
“Where’s Thomas?”
“Didn’t make it,” he said, shaking his head. “We waited till the very last minute,” Carl said.
Harlan looked down at the inferno engulfing the planet. volcanoes were bursting out along the entire Pacific Rim. The Earth’s crust began to tear open exposing its fiery interior. The devastation was so great and the heat so intense that soon all the Earth was engulfed. The release of energy from the interior was like a solar flare. The planet strayed from its orbit and spiralled into the sun, and evaporated into nothing.
Harlan rubbed his eyes and looked again. The Earth was still there. It had not gone yet. His eyes were playing tricks on him.
“Something’s coming up on the monitors!” shouted one of the men. “I think it’s new data.”
Harlan jumped to his feet and stood behind the man.
“I think it’s the information we’ve been waiting for. Thomas did it! Prepare the resonators! Programme in the new information quickly!”
“Resonators programmed; executing command sequence!”
Without delay, the four resonators began to release their energy, each locking onto their respective targets. Their noise resembled high-speed machine gun fire.
In the meantime, the spacecraft continued to slowly orbit the planet so that all areas could be dealt with.
Harlan and his team craned their heads to look down at the scene below.
“Doesn’t seem to be having much effect,” said one of them. “Are you sure the resonators are fully programmed?”
Without taking his eyes off events, Harlan replied, “Just give it time.”
But after the third orbit he, too, was becoming concerned.
The man sitting next to him said, “They’re the most powerful resonators in the Sector, but they’re doing nothing.”
Harlan looked angry. So much time and so much effort had been put into this project, and now failure. Harlan banged his fist down so hard that it hurt. “Damn!”
He continued to stare, his brow furrowed. “They’re having no effect. None!”
The men continued to gaze in silence as the Earth passed beneath them.
“Look!” shouted one of them, pointing. “The last time we passed over here those three volcanoes were erupting. They’ve stopped now.”
“You sure?” Harlan asked.
“Yes. Look!” the man continued to point.
“You’re right,” Harlan replied.
“Look over there. It’s definitely quietening down.”
The volcanic activity was subsiding. Although still enveloped in smoke, peace was being restored to the planet.
Harlan stood up. “I think it’s time we went home!”
“But what about Thomas?” One of them asked.
Harlan shook his head. “There’s no way he could have survived that hellhole.”
“Guess you’re right.”
The order was given and the spacecraft began its light-speed journey home.
* * *
Copyright © 2009 by Rod Hamon
