THE GATE KEEPER (13 page)

Detective
Reynold
cut his partner’s conversation and responds,
‘Yes, I know and this young version of the accuser doesn’t know anything about
it.’

Detective
Mcneal
stare at his partner and says, ‘Listen, we’re
here to get to the bottom of this case by deciphering the conspiracy. We shall
do it professionally and efficiently. Our future and the past are in our hands.
Remember the young suspect is on a need to know basis on this case. We don’t
want to be part of an alteration process of changing our presence and future.
Remember crime alteration is a serious act under the law of time travel.’

His
partner nod in response to detective
Mcneal’s
ethic
agreements while he glances at me in the rear mirror. I keep quiet while my
mind tries to figure out what was going on. I could pick up few important words
from Detective
Mcneal
.

He
must have forgotten that I was here, maybe he was trying to help or maybe he
thought that I was stupid. In between the lines I could read him. It seems I
shall do something in my future that shall trigger significant changes to their
present and future. At the same time I wonder about the ripple effects of time
I may have done on my last flight in time.

‘This
case is a time bomb for us. An entrapment,’ detective
Reynold
said.

‘Yes,
only if we do it unprofessional and unethical. Drastic rational and cautious
approaches need to be taken for this case.’ His partner responded calmly.

The
auto pilot took us away from the massive, floating round-about and went across a
floating junction. At the junction, the touch screen GPS at the dashboard
displays the distance from it. It also displays a red light on the screen and
the autopilot adjusts its speed while other floating vehicles, moves across.

Amber
light appears on the screen and the flying vehicle adjusts in a light
turbulence momentum. Then the green light appears and the flying vehicle
crosses over. Behind and in front, all the flying machines follow each other at
the same speed in the same direction as if the air space was scarce. Then each
machines disappears either left or right and decline to their desired
destination.

Soon
we were alone. I assume that the air space for the autopilot had an all clear
direction from the inside computer to an outside source. Ahead the massive
building becomes clearer. Impressive architectural design of three buildings
made of tinted glass becomes apparent as we get closer. The polygon shape
buildings overlook the smaller skyscrapers of the city.

‘What
year are we in?’

‘Smart
boy,’ detective
Mcneal
said.

         
‘Good question. 2072….’ Detective
Reynold
said.

Our
vehicle climb up until it was higher than the buildings. Few floating vehicles
flow in and out to the buildings. The vehicles smoothly decline with its front
facing downward at a forty five angle. Two more identical buildings were fixed
firmly at the back of the three front one. Their geometrical designs struck me.
Its pointy and edgy triangular back of each of the polygon’s buildings points
at its centre.

Our
floating vehicles adjust as it falls under control in between the buildings. We
were no longer heading down at an angle but rather straight. Through the window
I could see an open doorway which led to the ground. Some floating vehicles
float while others float out. Above through the sunroof I could see different
futuristic automobiles adjusting its height as they either leave or enter the
centre of the man-made polygons.

‘We’re
home. Welcome to our place of work. The police station of your future,’
detective
Mcneal
said.

I
did not say anything except to appreciate the future renovation of my
surroundings. We were inside and soon the underground entrance extends in
height the further we float downward. At each ground level there was a sign
near each entrance which I suspect was the ground level. At the sixth floors
underground, G6 was written at its top left side corner, in big eligible,
yellow and black paint.

At
each level there were five entrances which brought me to the conclusion that
they must link to the five buildings above. The police and civilian flying
automobiles went in and out of the underground entrance while others incline
and decline. Under the guidance of the computer on board the gate keeper’s
vehicle float through an entrance known as G7.

13

Agent
Wickette
walk out of an open lift. On the floor a big
G7 was painted in yellow. Though he was a superior officer there was a need to
make sure that this sensitive and secret case goes smoothly. His superior and
the hierarchy within the force wanted result.

Internal
Affairs within had lectured him about his rendezvous. His last briefing made
him suspicious. There has been a flaw in the system. He wondered how they could
have possibly known that if it was really a fact. He thought about the effect
of changes and damage done. Or maybe it has already injected its impurity and
slowly rotting away the core.

A
white floating mobile slowly move towards him. It hovers near the floor and
four doors underneath the airmobile slide in. Then its tyres were release and
come in contact with the ground. The old fashion vehicle slowly moves in
towards him and come to a halt. He stares at the suspect which his boss had
warned him to be diligent with.

He
could not believe that he would one day meet him in person.
A young founding
father of significant importance to the twenty first century
he thought. So
valuable that if something happened to him, through the course of his past,
present and future may trigger an alternate version. Life may turn out harsher.

His
two employees open the front door and walk out of the vehicle. Excitement
builds as he stares at his idol.
Diligent,
he thought. He hides his
cheerfulness and act professionally. He opens the back door for his idol and
suspect. He remains mute while he stares at his teenager’s simple worn garments
of a white T-shirt and blue jeans.

‘Good
evening Mr Smith. Please welcome, welcome it’s an honour to have you sir,’
agent
Wickette
joyfully said as he shakes his hands
firmly with both hands.

‘Good
evening,’ Phil responded with uncertainty.

‘I
know you’re wondering why we’ve brought you here. Soon it shall make sense to
you, of your purpose. Please follow me and we shall elaborate privately,’ agent
Wickette
said.

The
autopilot rides the vehicle deeper within the underground parking. The four men
left for the nearby lift which awaits them. Quickly the door of the lift closed
and the rectangular lift shoot upwards. 

‘May
I ask who are you please?’ Phil said as he looks at agent
Wickette
.
Then elaborate on his curiosity, ‘I mean your real name.’

         
‘I am Gate Keeper
Wickette
. I and my employees are
special agents that deal with any flaws within big organisation and the
government. Changes vital for our race to co-exists.’

Once
we were all in, agent
Wickette
says, ‘Mission Genesis
for express route to floor sixty sixth.’

‘Welcome
back Agent
Wickette
, express route to your desired
floors had been set as requested,’ a computerise voice from a speaker near a
small futuristic camera responded.

The
lift’s doorway was made with some sort of hard and double enforcing,
transparent material. Every movement of the lift could be felt as well as
viewing through it. Where the two doors met there was an adult hand size square
with digital information. On the left it displays G and on the right side it
displays continuous decline of numbers as the lift pass the designated
floors. 

Agent
Wickette
was smartly dress up in his white uniform. I
stand at his side but refrain from challenging his grandeur of superiority. I
learn to appreciate the officer’s uniform which matches his white shoes. Clean
and spotless was for sure.

On
his shoulders strapped to his shirt there was two shiny metal strips. I assumed
that it must have indicated that he was a lieutenant. His hard collar stands
erect with the markings of a shiny metal eagle spreading its wing on a star.
The front of his collar did not reach out towards each other as if design to
allow air to flow in.

The
two gate keepers who brought me in stood quietly behind me. They had not said a
word since when I had met their boss. I felt as if there was a sense of
discomfort and friction of them being near their boss. The feelings of
uneasiness and nervousness were present each time I glance at them. Their boss
had made me felt relax and welcome. At that moment the lift’s digital clock had
move from Ground 7 to 1, Floor 1 to 11 and still climbing.

‘Do
you have a clue why you’re here?’ agent
Wickette
asked.

‘No,
but from the conclusion I may only assume, as I was led to believe that it’s
due to an incident which happened a day before I was force to come here.’

‘Oh,
I apologise for my men’s utmost contempt in snatching you on the basis of an
unknown crime,’ agent
Wickette
said.   

‘Sir,
I assured you that we did not snatch him but simply react as ordered,’
detective
Mcneal
said.

‘Silent!’
agent
Wickette
unleashed his fury at detective
Mcneal
as he glance at him with a cold and harsh look.

         
‘Sir, I truly support my buddy on our decision to drag him with us,’ detective
Reynold
backed up his partner.

‘Didn’t
you hear what I’ve said? Shut up! He’s not a criminal. He’s just a suspect in
this madness that I cannot comprehend. This young man treat him with respect he’s
the reason why we’re free. Are we clear?’ Agent
Wickette
explained to his employees.

‘Sir,
with all my respect he’s just a boy and I see no man standing in front of us. I
see only half of a man,’ detective
Reynold
replied
joyfully in a sarcastic manner.

         
I turn to the back and detective
Mcneal
gives me a
joyful grin as if he was up for something. A purpose and plan I could not yet
see through.

‘One
of these days your arrogance and insubordination shall cost you your daily
job.’ Agent
Wickette
replied angrily but yet in a
diplomatic manner.

Through
the transparent door I see the lift slows down, ‘Floor sixty sixth,’ the
computerise voice alerts all of us in the lift.

The
transparent doors open with one side displaying the digital F and the other
side displaying sixty six. They went apart as the door smoothly opens. We all
walk out of the lift and into a corridor. Above us the dim light automatically
becomes brighter. Ahead a wall seems to divide the other side. On either side
of the corridor were without doors.

Agent
Wickette
walk out of the door way and we all follow
him. He stares at the obstacle and barrier in front of us. He rests both palms
of his hands on the wall by spreading and opening his fingers apart. A dim
light from the wall scan his retina and produce a three dimension hologram
image in front of his face.

‘Scanning
process complete, security clearance granted, for lieutenant
Wickette
under gate keeper’s secret act for Mission
Genesis.’ The same computerise voice of an unknown lady responded.

Unevenly,
brick by brick the orange wall dissipates and split open. We walk through and I
have to turn back to see the mysterious door way. Immediately after we were all
across, the bricks slowly mend together and form the solid wall. Inside it was
a room of grey and a mixture of other dark moody colour.

‘Depressing
colour,’ I said.

‘Yes,
it is. It’s an interrogation room but we can make it better. Agents please,
leave the room and allow us to have a few private words. I shall coordinate the
interrogation by myself.’ Agent
Wickette
spoke out
about his intention.

The
two gate keepers walk through the sole existing door which leads to another
room next door. Agent
Wickette
walk to the only table
in the room. It was quite big and made of transparent glass. He sits on the
chair made of similar materials.

‘Where
were we?’ he asked.

‘Gloomy
and dark…..’

‘So
true, curtain off! Please do sit down.’ He said.

I
did as requested as the curtain slide off, in opposite direction and under his
command. The lights inside went dim. Expose between us and the outside world
was a wall of glass. Darkness had revealed itself. Outside the hovering car
made some wonderful displays of floating traffic lights. Afar beyond it, lays
picturesque scenery of brilliant architectural skyscrapers of different shape
and size. Within the room the light had adjusted itself. In darkness under the
dim light I found it strange that we had to camouflage.

‘Are
we hiding from someone?’

‘I
have to be careful of what I say over here. The walls have eyes and ears.
Nothing is what it seems to be in this world we’re living in. Over the years we
had led a cold war, between us, the normal citizen and the corporation. In your
time they run a shadowy government which no one outside, knows of its existence.
They were made of a secret society at first. Then they began to spread like
cancer and suppress technological advancement. All in the name of profits and
the benefit of their blood line also known as the blue line. Nearly a hundred
years after the technological revolution I’ve found out that the cancer is
still as deadly as it was back then, but hidden. Back in its primitive form and
mystify behind its cloud of hidden deception.’

‘Where
do I intermingle in this matter?’

‘The
question you should ask is who you really are? Do you know who you really are?’

‘I
am just a simple teenager with ambition for progress. My destiny is unknown to
me as I can’t foretell the future. Maybe you can shed a light on it as it seems
you do know more than I already know.’

‘Time
should not be taken for granted. Every seconds and minutes counts, though I
hate the corporation I’ve learned that they make good use of it. For the moment
your future should remain hidden from you and in due time when you’ll be ready
you’ll face your destiny. You are an important figure in our struggle….’ He
assured me as if he knows me but a noise interrupts him.

         
Behind me I heard the doors storm open. Across the table I see the silhouette
of his face staring at the door. The lights above brighten as footsteps echoes
the room. Caught by the element of surprise he tries to read and comprehend the
presence before him. 

I
follow my senses, look behind me and see them at a walking pace and heading for
us. The two gate keepers were strangely and similarly dress up in black. I
immediately stand up as I was amaze to see them in what appears as the
ninjutsu’s
uniforms. 

‘I
thought my orders were clear!’ Agent
Wickette
shouted
at them.

Detective
Mcneal
stares at him deeply and response, ‘No need for
any arrogance my fellow agent. Your orders had been override. You are to sit
tight and enjoy the show.’

‘I
would not say it again! Stand down both of you!’ Agent
Wickette
arrogantly barked at them again.

‘Didn’t
you hear that you’re no longer in command?’ Agent
Reynold
responded.

Baffling,
agent
Wickette
asks, ‘Under whose authority are my
being relieved?’

‘Under
a no need to know basis higher than your pay grade,’ agent
Reynold
joyfully responded.

Quickly
agent
Wickette
stands up and went for the shiny metal
in his white holster. Detective
Mcneal
put both of
his arms up and open his hands. At the tips of each fingers of the black gloves
groups of small white dots illuminates. He then spread his fingers and his tips
become brighter. Agent
Wickette’s
weapon rapidly
breaks free from its holster, head upwards and head towards agent
Mcneal
. He grabs it and points it at agent
Wickette
.

It
was so fast that I was trying to understand what was going on. The weapon had
literally floated out of agent
Wickette’s
jurisdiction. My mind had rewind the same image over. There was no doubt of
what I had seen.
Impossible,
I thought.

‘Not
fast enough my colleague or shall I say Sir.’ Agent
Reynold
said.

 His
partner aimed a long hi-tech and futuristic weapon at me.

‘Now,
I and my partner shall cordon the interrogation.’ Agent
Mcneal
said.

‘Can
you please, stop those nonsense and madness you’re doing, all I desire is to
head home.’

Agent
Reynold
laugh and sarcastically mimic, ‘can you
please, stop those nonsense and madness you’re doing, all I desire is to go
home!’ There was a pause and silence. He then carries on, ‘Look at you! You
sound pathetic! Do you hear yourself?’

‘Are
you hearing yourself right at this moment? Sound like a pathetic child.’ I said
sardonically.

‘Let
me remind you that those in control of your fears are always in control of your
life. In my hand is the proof of power which I can use to tear your little
world apart.’ Agent
Reynold
said with a smirk on his
face.

I
keep quiet as the fear of being robbed of my life kick in.

Agent
Mcneal
glance at agent
Wickette
and me. Then he asks, ‘Is he the one who really led the technological
revolution? Is he?! Look at him.’ He points a finger at me to demonstrate his
views. Then he carries on, ‘Pathetic and weak individual, who can’t even lead
himself out of his own fears.’  

‘Is
he the leader you all aspire to be? The saviour of our kind.... Well I’m sorry
to say, that a leader who’s vulnerable to fears is vulnerable to fall.’ Agent
Reynold
explained.

‘In
due time, he shall take his rightful place. Succeed he will and there’s no
doubt about it. Look around us the revolution had already taken its course.
Both of you are just too dumb to see through the lies of the political games. ’
Agent
Wickette
assured them.

‘Where
is he? Eh. The coward has gone in hiding,’ agent
Reynold
made a mock out of his employer’s principle.

‘Perhaps
dead,’ agent
Mcneal
said.

‘Perhaps
he’s recovering his strength strategically in hiding waiting for the right time
to rise and bring the corporation to its knees,’ agent
Wickette
ridicule with a smirk.

‘How
can a frail and fragile man gather his strength within an old vessel? There’s
no sense in this madness.’ Agent
Mcneal
assured us
with deluded opinions of his own as he gaze at me.

‘Can
somebody explain to me what is going on?’

‘Yes,
of course we will. After all that’s where you come in,’ agent
Mcneal
clarified.

Agent
Wickette
look at me with a worrying face and says,
‘Seven years ago, on the fourth of July 2065, you disappeared off the edge of
this planet and were never found.’

         
‘Shut up! Let’s not forget that I still got the gun aiming at you. Choose your
words wisely. The future can’t be controlled. Breaking the time travel act may
lead to drastic consequences,’ agent
Mcneal
justified.

I
was lost and I had to ask, ‘English please.’

‘You’re
not meant to understand it fully as you don’t deserve the luxury to change and
amend our past.’ Agent
Reynold
confirmed with me.

‘For
now we can’t kill you as it shall have a knock off effect on our past and
future. If we try to fix the ripples of time we’ll end up destroying ourselves.
Once we collect enough information that we need we shall make history of you.’
Agent
Mcneal
said.

He
point and presses the trigger at agent
Wickette
.
Immense impact of volatile air particles throw him off the chair. Like a puppet
he ends up bumping his back in the massive glass. His back slide down on the
glass and he unconsciously fall into a sitting position. Behind him cracks
slowly spread in different direction up to the ceiling. This unexpected move
had caught me by surprise. Yet I did not dare to show it. 

‘Where
were we? Oh yes death.’ Agent
Mcneal
recalled.

Agent
Reynold
laugh and says, ‘Funny, normal suspects are
sent in a proper interrogation room seal with bricks and a tinted windows with
other detectives on the other side. Then I realise that you’re not a normal
suspect but an exceptional one. You get a VIP treatment, stress free
environment with a beautiful scenery and above all, no pressurise question. Are
you following me? My guess is no. Where were you yesterday?’