End of Days (4 page)

His mind spun feverishly, trying to come to grips with the panic that filled his body. He was so much better with thoughts than he was with emotions. Maybe he had to force those emotions down and focus on the numbers, on the mathematics, on the logic.

“But if all this is true, then—”

“It is true,” Markell said. “An object, an asteroid of
at least two hundred kilometres in diameter, is travelling toward Earth.”

“But if that was to strike Earth, or even have a near miss, then the impact on Earth, on all life forms, would be catastrophic!”

“It would most probably mean the end of life on the planet,” Hay said. She uttered the words so casually, with such a lack of emotion, that for Sheppard they were almost unreal.

“It’s so hard to believe,” Sheppard said, his voice barely a whisper.

“You have to believe,” Markell said. “You have to believe because it is true.”

Sheppard nodded his head. He knew Andrew, and more important, he trusted him, not only as a scientist but as his friend.

“Then shouldn’t the world know what is happening?” Sheppard asked. “Don’t we have a moral obligation to make others aware of the danger to humanity?”

“In fact, I believe we have a moral obligation
not
to let them know,” Hay replied.

“I don’t understand.”

“There is no benefit in letting them know their possible fate before we have had the opportunity to at least present them with an alternative, an answer, a solution,” Hay explained.

“In fact,” Donahue continued, “their knowledge, and possible reaction, could produce consequences that would make it impossible to execute a solution.”

“I don’t follow you,” Sheppard said.

“What if people started to act like there was no tomorrow?” he asked. “What would happen to society, to civilization, and to those hundreds of thousands of individuals whose help we need in our efforts?”

“Wouldn’t they have an even greater incentive to be part of the solution?” Sheppard asked.

“Possibly, but that knowledge might have the opposite effect. We have decided that the people of the world will be happier, and our success more likely, if they are left unaware.”

“For how long?”

“If we can find the solution, it is possible that they will never even become aware of the danger. That would be the ultimate success of our efforts.”

The professor thought through what he had just heard. His understanding of human nature was restricted to casual observation and limited experience. Perhaps they were right.

“But you didn’t bring me here only to silence me,” he said. “That could have been done much more simply and with less possible risk of complications. So why am I here?”

“Professor Sheppard, the skills that allowed you to confirm our greatest fears are the same skills that might lead to our salvation. You are more than simply a scientist. You are one of the greatest minds of your generation, and your knowledge and expertise are among the keys to finding the solution—to saving humanity.”

He felt complimented, flustered, and scared all at once.

“You were brought here to be an important member of our team, a team dedicated to finding that solution.”

“Daniel,” Andrew said, “they have assembled the greatest minds on the planet, brought them together as one body, given them near-infinite resources in order that they might discover, create, and implement a solution. The end of life is probable, but not definite.”

“And that is why you are here,” Hay said. “We need you—humanity needs you.” She stood up and extended her hand. “Do you accept our invitation?”

This was all so incredible, so improbable, so unbelievable. How could he even begin to understand, begin to allow himself to consider that this was true? But it was … he was certain. He was also certain of only one other fact.

He took her hand. “I accept.”

A line of cars and vans waited at the big metal gate. The house, an enormous white mansion, sat in the distance, separated from the waiting vehicles by both a high stone wall and a long driveway that meandered through the immaculately kept grounds.

At precisely 9:00 a.m., two men left the gatehouse and waved to the first vehicle. It responded instantly.

Leaning into the car the guard spoke. “Could we please see your press accreditation?” he asked very formally.

“Sure, no problem,” the man replied as he pulled his wallet from his jacket pocket. But he was accustomed to being recognized and he was slightly annoyed at being asked. “Don’t you watch TV?” he asked the guard.

Unsmiling and without answering, the guard handed him back his papers.

“Do you know what this is all about?” he asked the guard.

“No, sir.”

“It’s not like Joshua Fitchett to call a press conference.”

“Yes, sir. Please continue to the main house.”

“Before I go, what is Joshua Fitchett really like?” the reporter asked.

“I don’t know, sir. I’ve never met him.”

“Never met him? How long have you worked here?”

“Twenty-one years. Now please continue to the main house as directed or clear the lane so that others may be processed.”

“Okay, don’t worry.” The car rolled forward and the procedure was repeated with the next vehicle in line.

Once inside the mansion each reporter passed through a security corridor similar to those used at airports: a metal detector, X-rays, examination of cameras and recording devices, and finally, a body search.

A select group of twenty television people, newspaper reporters, and Internet bloggers had received an invitation, a phone call waking them early in the morning, to attend this event. Most figured it was some kind of practical joke. Who could believe that the elusive Joshua Fitchett was holding a press conference? He was not only the world’s richest man, but perhaps its most mysterious. Still doubting, but unwilling to miss the opportunity of a lifetime, not to mention running the risk of being scooped by other media, they scrambled at the chance to meet with the legendary Fitchett.

Joshua Fitchett’s inventions, the fruit of his genius, had changed the world. Yet the man was a virtual unknown. His enormous wealth gave him the means to keep the world
away. It had been years since anyone in the outside world had even cast eyes upon him, though not for lack of trying.

Five years before, a newspaper had offered a million-dollar reward to anybody who could produce a recent picture of Fitchett. That offer was rescinded the next day, when the newspaper was purchased and all its senior editors and publishers dismissed. One more company added to an empire that spanned the globe. Only Joshua Fitchett would spend millions to guarantee his peace and privacy. Only Joshua Fitchett
could
do that.

Word came from Fitchett only when one of his companies announced its newest discovery, breakthrough, innovation, or invention. From computer software to metal alloys, from medical breakthroughs to theoretical analyses of human nature and aerospace technology, his work knew no bounds. He was quite simply the greatest mind of his time, even, some argued, the greatest mind of all time. Others simply said he was what da Vinci would have become if he’d had the modern materials and resources at his disposal.

The reporters gathered together in a small private theatre The lights dimmed and a hush fell over the room. A man, tall, with a thicket of flaming red hair and a full beard, walked onto the stage. He was thin and no longer young, but there was a spring in his step. He moved with authority. He stopped dead centre and faced the audience.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice. I am Joshua Fitchett.”

There was a burst of flashes as cameras captured the image that had so long eluded them. Those same images
were being taped by the television cameras set in the corners, as well as those streaming live to the Internet. In that one split second, the most sought image in the world became the most seen across the globe. Within thirty minutes of being placed online this would become the most downloaded footage in the history of the Internet—with even more hits than the dancing cats and celebrity gossip.

“I have a statement to read.” He cleared his throat as he produced papers from his pocket and unfolded them. “Last night, at approximately 3:30 a.m., a team of ten men came onto the grounds of my estate. Their intent was, I believe, to either abduct or execute me. They, in turn, were stopped by my security forces.”

The kidnapping attempt was shocking, but the fact that it had failed came as no surprise to anyone in the audience who knew about Fitchett. The men assembled to keep Fitchett’s world safe and secret were nearly as legendary as Fitchett himself. They were gathered from some of the most famous, and infamous, security forces known to the world and were reputedly paid a small fortune. By virtue of their training, they were capable not only of defending his life but of eliminating any who dared attempt to violate it.

“Six of the operatives were killed in the initial skirmish. Four others were apprehended, two unharmed and two suffering significant and life-threatening wounds. The wounded were immediately admitted to my private medical facility within the grounds for treatment, while the others were placed in secure custody, also on my property.

“It was my hope that we could learn more about their intentions and the people behind this plot. Unfortunately, while in my custody all four men died by self-inflicted means, ingesting cyanide.

“Though I grudgingly admire their determination to die without yielding information, their deaths were unnecessary as we had already gathered sufficient evidence—we only wanted confirmation.” He paused. “These men were part of the security force of an agency called the International Aerospace Research Institute. Before this moment, that name was known only to international government officials in the highest echelons.

“My attempted abduction was part of a program by that agency that has seen dozens of renowned scientists kidnapped and their deaths staged to cover up their abductions. They are alive and have been taken to a secure setting, located in Switzerland. The names of these abductees and their exact location will be provided by my assistant at the conclusion of my statement.

“Rumour is part of the human condition. Man is an animal whose evolution has been driven by curiosity as much as by need. Rumour expresses our need for understanding, explanation; it’s a way to face our fears or shed light on the unknown. One persistent rumour over the past half dozen years has involved the belief that we are facing danger from an object from space, that a large asteroid has been targeted to make a close pass by Earth. The authorities have worked, with the co-operation of the media, to make this seem like nothing more than a legend, a false fear, a
myth, a story of Chicken Little and the sky falling. But the only falsehood in this rumour is its denial.

“Every man born must someday die. It is a small blessing that we know neither the date nor the means of that death. At this time I am sorry to report that this blessing has been removed.

“Earth is on course to be intercepted by a large planetary body, a lifeless asteroid. There are three possible scenarios for this interception. The asteroid might collide directly with Earth, with obvious disastrous consequences. The second scenario would involve a near miss that would nevertheless destroy Earth’s atmosphere. Even the third scenario, a more distant miss, would likely result in a significant alteration of our orbit around the sun. In all cases the outcome is identical: all life on this planet will cease to exist. This interception will take place in seventeen years, four months, plus or minus three days.”

He paused. There was an eerie silence, complete but for the shuffling of feet and papers and the soft whirr of the cameras. Fitchett looked out at the stunned faces of his audience. Did they not understand, not believe, or were they simply not allowing themselves to accept the truth of what he was saying?

“Doubt is understandable,” he said, “but I have extensive evidence to support my statements. This evidence, however, is of such complexity that it can be understood by no more than a handful of people on the planet, all of whom are now securely in the grasp of the International Aerospace Research Institute and not available for comment. Other
so-called experts will no doubt be put forward by the authorities to deny, ridicule, and counter my statements.

“The leaders of the agency that sent those men to kidnap me are neither malicious nor evil. They believe in their mission, which is to somehow alter the course of this asteroid and thereby save the planet. They have chosen to operate in secrecy to save humanity from the anguish and chaos associated with this news. Today, by means of this press conference, I have chosen to spread this news to the world instead. I believe that humanity has the right to know its fate.

“I am not in a position to state definitively whether any efforts they undertake will succeed in altering the course of this asteroid, and in so doing alter the fate of mankind. In my opinion, however, they are on a fool’s mission. The technology available now is not adequate to the task, and short of a technological breakthrough, we will not possess it within the brief window of time before the asteroid strikes. People have the right to know what is at stake, but more than that, should a breakthrough, our only chance of salvation, be possible, it will come about through the combined efforts of all humanity.

“Efforts will be launched to silence any further attempts I might make to alert the world. If I am taken or killed, let my death serve as notice of the truth of my statements this morning.

“I am not, by any common definition, a religious man, but I am aware that in most religions there is a time of judgment. This is, in essence, our day of reckoning. Perhaps we
will come together as a species to save the planet. Perhaps not. If we are unsuccessful, perhaps we do not
deserve
to survive.

“That concludes my statement. I am not prepared to answer any questions. Good day.”

The reporters sat in stunned silence and watched as the figure left the stage.