Wake Me In The Future (36 page)

‘What!’

‘Oh, yes she was very obedient back in those days, but letting you marry Rachel....’ he said it as if spitting poison out of his mouth. ‘That was just unforgivable. It showed her in her true light, weak and guilty. I suppose she thought she was making things right in her own mind, replacing the wife she’d snatched from you and vaporised.’

That did it, I'd made a decision. If I got the chance and he let his guard down I was going to rush him. I had nothing to lose any more. It was strange; I felt very little fear and an overwhelming calmness descended on me. It surprised me because I’d never really thought of myself as a particularly brave man. But I’d die if I did nothing anyway. I had to keep him talking until I got my chance.

‘And what exactly did Ankit do to deserve you murdering him then?’

‘Ah, yes, poor Ankit. That was never intended. He wasn’t supposed to be accompanying the Karrs on their doomed mission. I didn’t even know he’d joined them until after the event; apparently the stupid man decided to tag along at the last minute so even if I’d wanted to, I couldn’t have stopped him without risking revealing my plan. Anyway, He was always a shaky ally; he was only ever prepared to do anything under duress while I held Amira. He’s not such a loss to the cause.’ And giving a small laugh he said, ‘I suppose his death was a bonus.’

Ramoon hadn’t averted his eyes once and the gun continued to point straight at me. I’d had it; I knew I wasn’t going to get a chance to rush him after all. This really was the end.

‘This is all academic anyway Richard, because in a few seconds you wont exist,’ and then he straightened his arm, held the gun out directly at me and pulled the trigger.

I instinctively slammed my eyes shut and hoped it would be over fast. I’d never see the people I loved again, but in that fraction of a second their images flashed through my mind, I wanted to have them with me at the end. I heard a strange whooshing sound and – oh God, I could smell burning. I was going to be slowly melted!

I clung on to the image of Helen and Rachel as I gasped what I thought was my final breath. Then I admonished myself, ‘don’t be a coward, open your eyes – don’t let him see you afraid, YOU’RE HUMAN!!’ so I defied my fear and opened my eyes to face my murderer down.

But where Ramoon stood there was a grotesque parody of a human figure covered in what looked like glowing volcanic lava. Then all of a sudden it solidified, cracked and crumbled to the floor revealing a hand holding a similar gun, protruding from the opposite wall.

As I looked over at the hand it grew an arm and then my eyes widened in amazement as the rest of the body came into the room.

‘Ankit’!

Chapter 39
– The Truth Be Out

The friend I'd thought was dead, vaporised on Rachel’s parent’s spaceship, was standing facing me with a gun in his hand and a smile on his face.

'Did I get the right one? That is you isn't it Richard?'

I looked shocked, before realising this was Ankit’s uncharacteristic attempt at humour.

Then with near overwhelming delight I ran over to him with open arms. But his smile dissolved and he stood back sharply with his hands up to fend me off, he didn’t want any hugs from a body of Ramoon’s, even though he knew I was inside.

Pulling up short I said, ‘I thought you were dead.’

‘I’ll explain later Richard, did you send the information?’

‘Oh.’ And remembering what Ramoon had said I turned to the terminal on the wall and placed my hand into it, made the connection and uttered the words, ‘secondary transmit.’ My relief was almost palpable when I heard the response of, ‘transmit successful.’

‘That’s it.’ I said.

‘Good, we have to go, follow me.’ he said as he turned round to leave.

All the reservations that I'd experienced when Ankit had first said those words seemed a million years ago. I just wanted out, so I almost jumped after him. But I was still in the dark over what had just happened so as we walked down the corridor I said, ‘Where are we going?’

‘We need to get back to headquarters, if it’s still there.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘They discovered it Richard, and it’s been under siege from Ramoon’s thugs for the last few hours. I only just managed to get away. I just hope the information you’ve just sent gets out in time to save them.’

My first thoughts were of Rachel and Jane, although I had so many other questions I wanted to ask. But as soon as I started to speak again Ankit said, ‘Save all the questions till later Richard, we need to concentrate on getting back. If anyone speaks to us you need to pretend to be Ramoon. Say you’ve come back from India Central early because you’d heard I’d turned up. I’ll explain the rest.’

‘OK, but how are we going to get back to the Moon. I wasn’t able to Jump back from Ramoon’s office.’

‘I’ve bought a tech with me. He can get us back to the Jump point but it will only be in our current manifestations. So you’ll have to wait to get back to head quarters before you can get rid of that body.’

As we hurried to meet up with our contact, I saw recognition in the faces of some of the people we passed and was thankful that no one actually stopped or spoke to us.

When we finally emerged from the jump point on the Moon and cautiously approached the headquarters, I saw familiar shapes looming outside. A row of containers, like the one I’d been marched into after my arrest. We stood across from the entrance and as we got nearer I began to worry that Ramoon’s thugs may have already placed many of my friends in them.
I hope Rachel and Jane are alright
, I thought.

Then we stopped and stood back in the shade as we saw Upholders coming out of the headquarters with bound prisoners in front of them. I stood, afraid to even think, in case any sudden movement or sound from me broke the silence and alerted the law to our presence.

Then Ankit started, as if recognising something about the scene that was unfolding before us, ‘They’re not protesters,’ he said, ‘they’re arresting Ramoon’s henchmen!’

I was so relived I started to move out of the shadows.

But Ankit’s arm shot out to bar my way, ‘Richard,’ he said, ‘you’re still in Ramoon’s body. You don’t want to be arrested again do you?’

‘Oh yes, of course.’ The thought that I could have actually got so used to Ramoon's body that I'd forgot I was in it, made me feel sick.

‘We need to wait till they’ve gone.’

Then we saw Jon appear and he was talking openly to one of the Upholders, and as we watched they shook hands before the convoy of containers started to move off and Jon turned to walk back into the headquarters.

‘Come on, I think we’re safe.’ said Ankit, moving out of the shadows and running towards Jon.

‘Jon!’ Ankit shouted to attract his attention. He didn’t want me to walk into the headquarters in Ramoon’s body, not without everyone knowing I was in it.

‘The first thing we need to do is transfer you back into your own body,’ said Jon. ‘You won’t last very long around here looking like that.’

I could hardly contain my relief when I opened my own eyes half an hour later. Looking down at Ramoon’s now lifeless form as it slowly started to loose its features, and although it really didn't matter anymore, I said to the technicians, ‘make sure it’s totally destroyed won’t you.’ I wanted every last vestige of that man erased.

Jon had assured me that Rachel and Jane were alright, but even so, I could hardly wait to see them.

‘Everyone’s getting together in the conference room in an hours time.’ Jon said, ‘I’d appreciate you not saying anything about what happened at Ramoon’s until then. But bring everyone with you.’

As I made my way to my quarters I was amazed at the progress the domestic robot mechanisms and self cleaning environment had made in returning the headquarters to its original state. By the end of the day, no one would be able to tell that a full scale battle had been fought here only hours before.

I spent most of the next hour explaining to Rachel and Jane how much I loved them and about the worry I’d gone through thinking I was never going to return. I carefully avoided telling them any details, out of respect for what Jon had asked, but I could tell that my wife and daughter understood how traumatic my experience had been.

'We've been trapped here for ages.' Jane explained excitedly. 'I wanted to join in and fight with the rest, but no one would let me.'

'Not everything's a game Jane,' said Rachel, looking at our daughter with the same concern about which society she'd end up in
,
as I'd shown over her streak of exhibitionism.

Later, when we all entered the conference room, the oval table had been removed and a dividing wall had been opened; doubling its size. It was filled with chairs and a long table stretched out across the front of the room, where the main leaders sat, and when I walked in, Jon gestured for me to join them.

Ankit, Rachel and Jane sat in front of me on the front row of chairs, and when the room had filled there were over one hundred people present. Cryogens and Manooran sympathisers sat in anticipation, awaiting an explanation.

As the room fell silent Jon stood up.

‘For those of you that don’t know exactly what’s happened today, two things have occurred. This sanctuary,’ he said looking at the walls and ceiling, ‘was discovered by Ramoon’s thugs and, as the majority of you do know because you were involved, we’ve had to literally fight for our lives.

Secondly, our plan to retrieve the evidence needed to bring down Ramoon was successful, and because of that the attack on us by his men failed and they’ve now all been arrested,’ then after a dramatic pause, ‘…and Ramoon is dead.’ Ripples of exited relief passed through the room before Jon held his hands up for calm and went on.

‘In a moment I’ll be asking the man involved in that,’ he looked at me, ‘to tell us what happened, but first, I need to tell you that I’ve had contact from the rest of the Manooran High Officials and they’ve assured me that we’re no longer in any danger. They’ve asked for some time to consider all the information and the consequences. I’ve agreed to a reconciliation meeting with them next week in this very conference room to which I want all of you to attend.

Now Richard, would you be able to tell us what happened with Ramoon today.’

I stood up and recounted what I’d already told Rachel and Jane, but this time adding in the details that I'd left out. As I recalled what Ramoon had said about Maya’s involvement with Helen’s death, I could see a saddened shadow fall over Rachel’s face. I didn't mention Ramoon’s idea that Maya had gladly allowed Rachel to marry me as compensation for her murderous deed. That wouldn’t have been right somehow. I just smiled at her to let her know I understood what she was feeling.

‘And he thought you dying was a bonus,’ I said, looking at Ankit.

Ankit stood up and said, loud enough for everyone to hear, ‘Well I am glad it was a bigger bonus than he expected then.’ And over the murmured approval at that remark he turned to Rachel and said, ‘I am sorry I used your parent’s accident to hide from Ramoon, but it was the only way I could guarantee he’d leave me alone and release Amira.’ Then addressing everyone again, he said, ‘After I’d managed to get a friend on Mercury to falsify my being on the Karr’s ship I contacted Jon and explained everything. He kindly offered to help me hide,’ then, turning back to the top table said, ‘even from you Richard.’

‘I knew we had to keep your existence totally secret Ankit,’ Jon added, ‘and when we came under siege and found that we couldn’t retrieve Richard it seemed the right thing to send you to Ramoon’s office and bring him back. You had the right access and if anyone saw you with Richard he could pretend to be Ramoon, and you could construct some story about your death.’

Then Jon addressed the room again.

‘If anyone has lost someone they love during this struggle then I’d like to tell you that we’re all here for you. The sacrifice we, and the people we’ve lost have made, has helped save the human race.

All we can do now is wait to see what the response will be from the authorities and consider what we want to happen next, because when we meet with them again we will be helping to make fundamental decisions that will affect everyone living in this Solar system, and I want all of us to have an input into those decisions.

To that end, we intend to arrange meetings for all Cryogens between now and next week, in order to co-ordinate our demands.

So until then, I suggest you all take advantage of the time, to relax and enjoy the freedom that we’ve won.’

After the applause had died down the room started to empty and I turned to Jon and said, ‘have the authorities given you any indication of what they propose to do?’

‘I don’t think they’ve had time to take it all in Richard, especially the prospect of a revived biological human race.’

‘But you do think we’re safe now, don’t you?’

‘I am not sure what to think, you know for yourself that there’s more than one Ramoon out there. Let’s just hope there’s none with his influence.’

‘Amen to that,’ I said.

Chapter 40
– Aftermath

I think it’s safe to say that once a thought crosses a mind it cannot easily be forgot, and once that thought is voiced it can never be unsaid. So it was, in the age of technology, because once information had been propagated across multiple systems it could never be erased, especially if intelligent eyes had looked on, and understood its content.

So the uproar and rage had spread throughout the planets, as quickly as the news of Ramoon’s insidious plans had got out. It was as swift as the systems that carried it, and as it was transmitted across the Solar system the questions began to pour in to the central committee. How had the all-powerful system been breached and interfered with, and what had prevented the committee from becoming aware of Ramoon's activities? What were these codes that allowed anyone to override the system and who had access to them? These were the questions that were being raised about the integrity of the system that was supposed to be free from human intervention. But they were not the only questions, because the guilt ridden, age old arguments about the Cryogens and the original humans, were all beginning to resurface.