2084 The End of Days (18 page)

Ari shut the door and strode across the room to Ava.

“Hold me, Ava, hold me and never let me go!”

The two of them stood hugging and crying. Ava did not even know why she was crying.

“Ava, I don’t know why I’m asking this, but I feel it is just important at this particular moment in time –“

“What, Ari?”

“Let’s make a baby – right now!”

“But, Ari, I thought that we were going to hold off –“

“No holding off, Ava, now is the time!”

They had made love gently and passionately. Before Ava fell asleep she did remind Ari that she was still on the pill and that this copulation would not result in a baby. She promised Ari that she would come off the pill. Ava had always dreamed of them having a child. Ari could not sleep as they lay on the bed together in the early evening. He could not get this afternoon’s meeting out of his head. He had spent all Friday night working on the data that Beth O’Donnell from NASA had sent him. He had actually wondered who Beth O’Donnell was. Ari could not think of ever having met her. After going over the information at least three times he could only draw the same conclusions as O’Donnell. He emailed O’Donnell as agreed early on the Saturday morning. When he had not received a reply by the Monday morning he had made up his mind what he intended to do. At two o’clock on Monday afternoon they all filed through a glass door into the small windowless room, after having finishing their coffees in the INSACC Center Director’s office. The five men from NASA’s Nimrod team, the Center Director, Yosep Goldenheim, Ari, Jerzy, Rebecca and Noam: they all sat around the table in the room except for Ari who stood by the computerised whiteboard in order to conduct the presentation. The Center Director nodded for Yosep to begin.

“Gentlemen, we have all done our introductions over coffee. Anyway, we are all reasonably well acquainted with each other. As you know - today’s presentation - to be conducted by Ari Schenkler - will cover the proposed 2082 Operational and Financial Plan for the Nimrod Space Hunter 2 project. It will concentrate in detail on the options to make significant and effective savings in next year’s project. So without further adieu I will hand the presentation over to Ari. Okay, Ari?”

Ari looked around at the men sitting expectantly in the room and he felt his throat constrict. He picked up the glass of water sitting beside the laptop, which had the presentation loaded and ready to roll. He sipped the water to ease his tight nervous throat and then he began, pointing limply at the whiteboard.

“Gentlemen, as you can see the, ah, idea had been to give you the, ah, 2082 project plan presentation today. However, ah…”

He looked at Goldenheim who was looking bewildered at Ari’s stumbling start and Yosep had rolled his hand to indicate to Ari to crank up the presentation. Ari had to go for it.

“However, ah, I actually intend to wind things forward a further two years to 2084. In fact, the 28
th
of May 2084…”

Goldenheim angrily interrupted and looked apologetically at the NASA team.

“Gentlemen, I think that Ari’s had a little too much coffee this morning as his presentation has strayed off base –“

The NASA Project Director, Aaron Eckler, held up his hand to stop Goldenheim.

“Yosep, I am prepared to give Ari a little bit of leeway here. Let him continue.”

At the same time, Eckler also waved his hand at the glass door and a young woman entered the room and sat down behind Eckler. Goldenheim was now completely lost and bewildered.

“Will someone tell me what the fuck is going on here? Who in hell is this?”

Eckler looked back at his female colleague.

“That is not important for the moment, Yosep. What is important is what Ari wants to say. Please continue Ari?”

Ari gulped in a bucketful of air and blew it out loudly before continuing.

“I need to start with the errant two minutes and eleven seconds of Nimrod footage taken on the 21
st
of January this year…”

Goldenheim completely lost the plot.

“Oh, for God’s sake – is this what this is all about? Some sort of grovelling apology? Ari, we’ve been through all of this before!”

Eckler was just as angry but with more control in his voice.

“GOLDENHEIM - shut up and just listen, will you!”

Ari was waved on to continue by Eckler.

“…It turns out that the footage contained some of the most important photographs ever taken by mankind. The footage was sent back to me by someone at NASA for my investigation, in conjunction with more detailed footage shot by NASA, a computer generated CGI model and NASA’s calculations, report and conclusions. I have examined all the data available and I have come to the same extraordinary conclusions as NASA…”

Eckler looked back quizzically at the woman behind him and she shook her head in the negative. Eckler looked back at Ari.

“Please continue, Ari.”

“The footage identifies a brand new comet which has entered the solar system in the same quadrant as Pluto. My guess is that it is debris from an exploded planet or moon from out of the star system Andromeda. I have named this new comet Har Meggido –“

Goldenheim could not help himself from interrupting.

“Har Meggido - the Hill of Meggido? Why?”

Eckler spoke first.

“We’ve been calling it Messiah 2, Ari!”

Goldenheim’s head was spinning.

“MEGIDDO! MESSIAH! Will someone please explain what the hell is going on?”

Ari now spoke with slow control and confidence.

“Well, Yosep, you and I as Jews are not so familiar with the Christian’s New Testament, but it is written in their book of Revelations:
Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon!
Har Megiddo, as you and I know Yosep, is the Jewish origin of the word Armageddon. I am also guessing, Mr Eckler, that Messiah 2 is a feeble joke for the Second Coming?”

Eckler nodded with a gruesome grin on his face. Ari looked at all the pale faces before him. They are all hoping that I don’t say this, he thought, but Pandora was now out of the box.

“On the 28
th
of May 2084 the Har Meggido, ah, Messiah 2 comet, which is around one and half times the size of Pluto, will make contact with planet Earth in a catastrophic collision.”

The room fell into a deathly silence. The astrophysicists all sat quietly trying to calculate the fatal consequences in their heads. Eckler broke the silence with a more mundane down to Earth question than Ari had been expecting.

“Ari, we concur with your findings. We have been working on it for a couple of weeks now. But the NASA data – which colleague did you say you got it from?”

“I don’t actually know her as a colleague. On the email she was named Beth O’Donnell.”

The woman at the back of the room spoke up.

“I am Beth O’Donnell, Ari. It was not me who sent that data to you…”

Goldenheim was struggling to keep up with events.

“Wha-at does all this mean?”

Eckler spoke in a low sinister growl.

“It means that an impostor is circulating this data in the world-wide community!”

Ava broke gently into Ari’s thoughts. She had woken up beside him and she snaked sensuously against his naked body. Ava smiled at Ari and fluttered her teasing eyelashes.

“Do you want to eat now, Ari, or do you want to try again for that baby?”

Chapter 13

Earthdate: 20:33 Monday February 17, 2081 CST

L
ex felt that his life was in a perpetual state of limbo. First off, the cops had not placed a formal charge on him for the murder of his wife Marna. His lawyer Leo Cagliari had brilliantly and successfully pleaded his case. Although the police had the damning letter written by Marna and they had also found Lex’s handgun at the scene of the crime, plus the cash withdrawals from the ATMs, they had not been able to place Lex at the scene of the crime in Dallas. The police had not been able to produce any CCTV evidence showing Lex either leaving Houston or arriving in Dallas. His electri-car onboard computer had shown no significant mileage on the Wednesday or Thursday, the day of Marna’s murder. The police had not found any record of Lex hiring a vehicle or booking a flight. Furthermore, Lex had reported to Magruder and Madsen that his bank cards were missing or stolen and the police had traced a couple of transactions in Houston, which took place during the times that Lex was being interviewed down at the 3
rd
Precinct. Lex was going on the supposition that the black hooker must have taken his cards. However, Cagliari reiterated to Lex that he was still the lead suspect in the homicide case and that they desperately needed to find that prostitute. Cagliari had arranged for a private detective, in conjunction with the Houston PD, to try to find the girl. Lex had agreed with his lawyer and the police to leave his credit cards live in order that they could help track down their new
‘owner’
. Lex reckoned that by the time Cutie or Cupie, or whatever she was called, had finished, he would be into a serious overdraft, although he had managed to shift all his real deposits into a non-carded secure savings account. On the basis that the police could not place Kosloff in Dallas or anywhere near it, Cagliari successfully managed to get Lex out on 1 million dollar bail and posted his bail bond. Lex’s second problem was his drinking. With the foul murder of his wife, Lex realised that alcohol had indeed become a real issue in his life. One which he now
had to deal with. Walking into the meeting hall the other night was just as hard as facing up to the fact that he was never going to see Marna again. He could not remember the last time that he had been as nervous as when he uttered those eight little words.

“Ma name is Lex. Ah am an alcoholic…”

It had been traumatic for Lex. He had a murder rap hanging over him and he had been barred from attending Marna’s funeral. Lex desperately wanted a drink. But he had not touched a drop since waking up that Friday morning after the bender in Avondale. His third problem was his job at Houston Control. Lex had phoned to advise Irene DuPré about the ongoing joint police investigation by the Houston and Dallas PDs. The police had already been in touch with her for background reports on Lex. He admitted his other problem to Irene.

“Irene, ah guess ya know ah’ve got a pretty bad drink problem?”

His boss sounded pretty sympathetic on the telephone.

“Ah had ma concerns, Lex. Ah was gonna discuss it with you –“

“Well, ah’ve joined AA, Irene. Ah am dealing with it now.”

Irene advised him gently that she had no option but to suspend him from work, albeit on full pay, because he was still the subject of the police investigation and a recovering alcoholic. His job at Houston Control required his full attention because of the detailed and complex safety aspects of his role. Irene told him that the cloud of suspicion did not allow Lex to give his job that full attention. She also advised him to use the time off wisely and get on top of his alcoholism. Irene finished the call almost pleadingly.

“Lex! Ah just hope you didn’t kill Marna? She was such a great gal.”

As Lex sat in the lounge of his now tidied up Robindale Drive house that evening he was hoping over and over again that he had not shot his wife Marna in that park in Dallas. He tried to convince himself that he just did not have it in him to do such a terrible thing. He had wanted Marna back. He did not want her dead. Suddenly, Lex was startled as his doorbell rang shrilly. Lex looked at the wall clock. A quarter to nine. It must be Magruder and Madsen again at this time of night. Maybe they are going to charge me this time, thought Kosloff. Lex opened his front door and it took him a moment to recognise the man that was standing there.

“Lennart?”

It was Marna’s uncle. Lennart Nilstrom was the brother of Marna’s father
Lars. He stood there in the cool evening in a black overcoat, black leather gloves and carrying a small overnight bag. Lennart spoke quite brusquely.

“Well, Lex, ain’t ya gonna let me in. Ah’m freezin’ ma nuts off out here!”

Lex stood back in surprise and Lennart brushed past him and settled himself into the lounge area. As Lennart took off his overcoat and laid down his bag Lex quizzed him.

“Lennart, what are ya doin’ here – ah wasn’t expectin’ you?”

Lennart sat on Lex’s favourite recliner and swivelled around to face him. Lennart appeared calm and relaxed. Lex tried to assess if Lennart was masking his anger towards him over Marna’s death.

“My brother Lars asked me to fly down and pick up some of Marna’s things, Lex. I believe that there are some jewellery pieces which Marna’s mother – Freda - had given her. Freda would like them back. Lars has also asked me to get a copy of Marna’s Will –“

Lex stared at Lennart with a perplexed look on his face.

“Why didn’t Lars try to call me about this, Lennart?”

Lennart shook his head slowly, but still calmly.

“Look, Lex, Lars is real sore with ya at the moment. He can’t rightly talk to ya. We know ya ain’t been charged by the cops so far – and, hey, Lex, maybe ya didn’t do it. Ah ain’t sayin’ that ya did. But the way Lars and Freda are lookin’ at it, if Marna hadn’t left ya and come up ta Dallas, then she would still be alive.”

Lex was irritated by Lennart’s response.

“So, basically, the way Lars and Freda are lookin’ at it, ah’m damned if ah did do it and ah’m also damned if ah didn’t!”

Lennart shrugged his shoulders.

“Looks that way, Lex, you’ll have ta give them some space – give them a bit a time. Ah do hate ta ask ya – but did ya do it, Lex, ya know - kill Marna?”

Lex bowed his head and shook it slowly.

“To tell ya the truth, Lennart, ah don’t rightly know – but ah feel in ma heart that ah just couldn’t kill Marna. God, Lennart, ah loved Marna – ah still do. It damn near broke ma heart that ah couldn’t be at her funeral.”

Lennart stood up and faced Lex.

“Ah don’t think it right that ah stay here tonight, Lex. Ah’ve booked into the Robindale Ramada for the night. So if you’re happy to give me the jewellery and a copy of the Will for Lars and Freda, ah can get out a’ your hair – or if ya wanna think about it ah could come back in the mornin’?”

“No – no problem, Lennart. Ah’m happy for Freda to get back her jewellery. Ah can also give them a copy of the Will. Ah know it probably don’t look good. Ah believe ah am the main beneficiary, although ah think she has left some money to her parents and her sister Ida. The stuff’s in the bedroom. If you stick that copier on by my computer, ah’ll go an’ get it.”

Before Lex turned to head for the bedroom he just watched to make sure that Lennart knew how to put on the printer / copier. He could see that Lennart knew what he was doing and he walked towards the bedroom. Absentmindedly, it struck Kosloff that Lennart had not taken off his gloves. In the bedroom he began taking out the various pieces of jewellery to give to Lennart, which had belonged to Marna’s mother and grandmother from his wife’s jewel box on the antique dresser. He also found Marna’s Will in the top drawer of the dresser lying beside his own Will. Lennart had popped his head in the open door.

“That’s the copier ready, Lex – have ya got everythin’?”

Lex looked at the open jewel box double-checking for anything that he had missed.

“Ah think so, Lennart.”

“Freda specially asked for that antique Victorian diamond necklace, which was a favourite family piece. Have ya got that, Lex?”

Lex scratched his head.

“Jeez, ah forgot that – where the hell did we keep that?”

Lennart still with his head stuck in around the door pointed to the other side of the king-sized bed.

“Try the top drawer of your bedside locker, Lex.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s right Lennart – wait an’ ah’ll just get it –“

Lex started walking towards the locker and his mind started swirling. He was troubled about what Lennart just said. Lex frowned and as he spoke he started swivelling his head towards Marna’s uncle.

“Lennart, how could ya possibly know that -?”

Lex stared at Lennart, now standing inside the bedroom. Lennart had his gloved right hand raised and he was holding a small modern steel automatic handgun. Paradoxically, Lex was thinking more about his old Walther, which he had kept in that same drawer beside the diamond necklace. A
slow dawning was beginning to creep into Lex’s mind. He quickly glanced sideways towards the drawer and a dawning came over him.

“Jesus Christ, Lennart, it was you! You killed Marna – but why?”

Lennart waved the gun threateningly at Lex indicating for him to come back into the lounge area. Lex sat down stunned as Lennart continued, still talking quite calmly.

“It’s a long sad story, Lex, which we probably don’t have time for. You see ah thought that ah had done everythin’ right, so that the cops would have ya in the frame for killin’ Marna. The note ya left under the sofa there was a gift. Your gun too – ya see Marna had blindly threatened ta kill me. Ah don’t really think she meant it but she inadvertently let it slip where your Walther was kept. Ah got in here ta get it – by the way, your security is shit, Lex – and that’s when ah seen the family necklace. The black hooker in Avondale – that was possibly not my best idea –“

Lex stuttered manically, trying desperately to keep up with what he was hearing.

“The h-h-hooker – that was y-you -?”

“Ah’m afraid so, Lex. Ah paid her two thousand bucks to get ya so drunk an’ drugged so that ya wouldn’t remember where, when or what ya had been up ta. But ah’m guessin’ she got greedy and took your bank cards – ah’m ah right?”

“The cops think so – they’re still investigatin’ that, Lennart. Was her name C-Cupie or somethin’…?”

Lennart shook his head, still holding his gun at Lex, but no longer just as calm as before.

“Cupola Dome – what kinda
dumb
name is that! And as for the cops – well if they keep lookin’ for that thievin’ bitch then she could lead them back to me – and we don’t want that, Lex, do we?”

“But if ya k-kill me, Lennart, then it could still lead back ta you.”

“Oh, ah ain’t gonna kill you, Lex. You are gonna do that yourself – well sorta. Read that -!”

Lennart had pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to the stunned Kosloff.

“READ IT!”

Lex read the typed words on the sheet.

Dear Marna,

Reading your Will and thinking about all your money for which I killed you has brought all that terrible day in Fair Park back to me. I find that I just cannot go on living with the crushing guilt. I ask Lars and Freda to forgive me for taking you away and I have decided that I want to be beside you my love.

Lex looked up with moistened eyes at Lennart, who waved the gun at the sheet.

“Ah want you ta sign that confession, Lex. Don’t worry about havin’ ta shoot yourself – ah can manage that for ya. So sign the damn note an’ throw it on the floor with the Will and the jewels, Lex, an’ ah’ll be outta here an’ get back down ta Dallas.”

A steely resolve welled up inside Lex.

“Ah ain’t gonna sign that thing – you murdered ma lovely wife you bastard an’ ain’t gonna take the fall for it!”

Lennart was now becoming agitated and angry, pointing and stabbing the gun at the seated Kosloff.

“LEX – you sign that fuckin’ suicide note or God help me ah’ll blow your fuckin’ head clean off!”

Lex tossed the unsigned note, the Will and the jewels onto the floor.

“Kill me if ya like you bastard. Ah don’t give a shit – ah’ve been a dead man walkin’ for weeks now anyway. Ya might even be doin’ me a favour!”

Just as Lex finished speaking the large frightening wail of a siren startled both men. A distorted voice emanated from a megaphone.

“HOUSTON POLICE – EVERYONE INSIDE COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!!”

Blaring sirens and flashing lights outside the window distracted the fearful looking Nilstrom. Lex jumped out of his seat and lunged at Lennart, grabbing for the gun. A flash and blast came out the gun and Lex collapsed in pain. The last thing that he heard was a crash of metal on wood. A SWAT team had used a battering ram to smash in the door and armed police in body armour flooded into the lounge. Someone in uniform screamed.

“LENNART NILSTROM – PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPON!”

Nilstrom swivelled round and aimed the smoking gun at the SWAT team surrounding him. He was brought down with a bullet to his right shoulder and another in his left thigh.

*

Earthdate: 04:02 Tuesday February 18, 2081 GMT

Prime Minister John Ralston had barely heard Big Ben chime four times as he sat alone and still half-asleep in his private office in 10 Downing Street. He poured himself another cup of strong thick black coffee as he awaited the secure conference call to come through. He had been briefed that it would only be himself, President Josh Trueman, UN Secretary-General Ravinder Gupta-Chaudry and Israeli Prime Minister Moshi Shalomon in conference. His Personal Private Secretary, Julian Farnham-Browne, did not know what the subject matter was about. Only that it was of the utmost importance to national – and global - security. As Ralston sipped the lukewarm coffee he thought the call was most likely to be an update on the Windsor bombing. Maybe the Israelis have discovered a link to Suleiman and the LOIN, he thought, absentmindedly. The monitor in front of him started flashing and he activated the conference call by using the key on the touch screen. The faces of the four men appeared simultaneously on the screen via their webcams. Ralston covered his mouth as he yawned widely.