The Genesis Illusion

Chapter 36

Lying on his stomach covered by a white sheet and connected to an IV-bottle, Paul rested in his hospital room. Nara had stayed with him all night during his recovery from surgery. His trusted friend spoke to Paul during periods when he seemed lucid.

Ann and Sam entered the small sterile room after a welcome good night's sleep at their apartment. "You must be Mr. Nara?" Ann whispered reaching out her hand. After introducing Sam and exchanging handshakes they all stood, even though there were two chairs, looking for a sign Paul was conscious. Nara motioned for Ann to take a seat. She accepted his invitation but only after he, being the oldest, sat in the remaining chair at Sam's insistence.

Standing behind the two, speaking in a soft voice, Sam asked, "Paul said you parked near the warehouse?"

"Yes, Paul warned me about Bright Sun's hired killers. I figured they were tracking my mobile phone, so I left it for them in the building where I parked. Now it's a hole in the ground."

"At least you're not in it," Paul said lying still, surprising everyone he was listening. He couldn't pass up a chance for a sarcastic comment.

Nara bent forward in his chair hoping Paul would signal he was all right. The sheet covering Paul rose slightly and then when flat again. A faint grunt was the only indication someone lurked underneath. "You awake?" Nara asked. He couldn't wait anymore of Paul to speak.

Paul answered in a coarse but strong voice, "Yeah, I'm still here."

Paul stirred, moving his legs, but remained prone on the bed. His three visitors gathered around the head of the bed, scooting their chairs so he could see them. Turning his head to the side facing them Paul opened one eye, and said, "I guess things worked out the way I thought?"

"If you thought you would be shot in the butt, you're right," Nara said, knowing his friend anticipated what happened. He couldn't help being annoyed Paul took the huge risk.

Groggy from the drugs and slurring his speech Paul responded, "Exactly, that was the plan. The Colonel's training taught him to aim for the torso."

"You wanted to get shot?" Ann said confused.

"No, but I concluded it was probable, so I gave him a target with my best chance of survival," Paul's voice weakened as he shifted to a new more comfortable position.

"Well, we're relieved that you'll be OK," Sam said. "It was frightening when you got shot."

"Thanks, I'm dying to hear what happened after I passed out," Paul settled into his pillow to listen. "Sorry for the bad choice of words."

"I guess I'll start," Ann said. "I called the police and ambulance while Sam kept pressure on your wound."

"What about the Colonel?" Paul said, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"Oh, I ordered our room guard to shoot him," Ann said, as if telling about an event that happened a long time ago. "He was under the influence of the obedience drug I'd given him when he went out to capture you."

"The Colonel was killed?" Paul said.

"The second safe opened, so I knew my mother..." Ann's emotions erupted keeping her from continuing.

"I know, VK told me last night," Paul said opening his eyes looking directly into Ann's. "I'm so sorry." He had an urge to point out her mother was trying to murder her. But he resisted, realizing that would have been cruel. Instead, he followed his heart, offering his sincerest sympathy for her loss.

Sam continued while Ann composed herself, "The ambulance arrived and the paramedics took over. Ann handed me the abort codes, so I took them into the computer room to start the process to stop Operation Genesis. That's when Mr. Nara called on your mobile phone. The paramedics gave it to me before they took you to the hospital."

Nara started speaking when Sam paused, "The Colonel must have told them you already discovered an antidote for the obedience persuasion substance so Bright Sun's hired thugs were sent to destroy the mobile lab. I suspected they'd track my mobile phone location, so I left it in the parking garage before I moved the lab."

"The police detained us at the warehouse for hours while they collected evidence and interviewed witnesses including us," Ann said, recovered from her emotional response to her mother's death. "It was late when the police finished but we came to the hospital to check on your condition. The doctors told us you would recover and we could visit in the morning. Then we went home for some needed sleep."

Paul reached out his hand, grasping Nara's joined by Sam and Ann. Arcadia was born, as planned, on New Year's Day not by conquest but with intellect.

Sam reached into his shirt pocket with his free hand, fumbling to remove a card, blank on the side facing the others. Holding it up he said, "I didn't think it was the right time with all the emotions earlier, but after Ann removed the abort codes from the open safe I saw something else inside, this card."