Near Future 1: Awakening (2 page)

When the applause began to die down, he continued. "The new campus will open next fall and will include a number of buildings currently under construction, as well as the repurposing of some of the existing buildings in a new and exciting way. We have already selected the first group of scholarship recipients that will be attending. Of course, the program is open to all qualified students, including those that are able to pay their way and those that wish to attend under a military scholarship."

"Before you listen to our most excellent music entertainment we have arranged for you, I have one final announcement for tonight. My daughter, Julie Randolph, will be attending within the inaugural class of students. She was a major factor in how we have designed this program, challenging us to build the program to enable our students to reach for the stars or to search for the answers to the quantum universe, whichever is their desire. Or both. And I know she will be working on both sides of that equation. As a special treat, Julie will also be playing a violin solo tonight as my way of introducing her to you. I think you will enjoy it."

As he walked off the stage, the lights dimmed and the orchestra started what would be a very memorable concert. For some the memories would be the strongest of all.

#

Julie nervously prepared backstage for the concert. She had heard a couple of the musicians whispering about why she was there and how it just wasn't fair. They knew she was there because of her father. She knew that was partly true. That made her even more determined to make her performance really shine. She tuned and retuned her violin in an effort to distract herself. Finally it was time for the concert to begin, so Julie moved to her place just outside the small alcove where she was to play.
 

The orchestra was the best she had ever had the chance to hear in person and the acoustics in the concert hall were amazing. She listened to the other musicians and began to relax. She loved the quality of the sound they produced as they played. Her nerves settled and before she knew it, it was time for her solo. Smiling broadly, she stepped out into the spotlight and began softly playing. The music she played was a modern adaptation written by a local artist, and she had fallen in love with the music when she first heard it. As she played, she forgot everything about where she was. She tried to put all her hopes for her future and for the future of the world into the song.

When she finished, she bowed in response to the loud applause that included a standing ovation, finally stepping back out of the spotlight. Many of the critics in the audience were wondering why they had never heard her before. Those musicians that had been complaining about the special privileges she had received were no longer jealous about those privileges. They instead were amazed, having listened to her play that beautiful song. And unbeknownst to Julie, that song would go out on VR to the whole world, and it would go viral almost instantly.

The orchestra launched into their grand finale as everyone returned to their seats. The entire concert would be declared one of the highlights of the season. Also, a lot of people would be talking about the Space Academy. When the concert ended, Julie returned to the dressing area where both her parents were standing with tears in their eyes. She gave them both hugs and breathed a huge sigh of relief. She treasured this opportunity, but she was now ready to move on.

#

After the concert, Sam went backstage with his wife, Annette, to congratulate his daughter. Ted remained in the security booth talking with their security chief, Nathaniel Alexander. "The Organization is getting more and more bold," Nate was saying to his boss. "Someone has got to be funding them. They used to be just a bunch of pirates and terrorists that were giving us a hard time, but they are getting better and better equipment. I don't know who it is, but it has to be someone with major resources, maybe even one or more countries. Plus, where do they get off calling themselves the Organization, as if no other organization mattered."

"Well whatever they call themselves," Ted told him, "they are getting to be a real problem. Even our friends in Homeland Security are getting concerned about them. Homeland and other resources will be available to help us in the near future. It's a shame we don't have their help tonight instead of being completely on our own, but so far it looks like the threat we received was bogus, which is alright with me."

The security chief got a VR call, so Ted stepped out so he could do his job. He saw his brother and family coming, and he was getting ready to join them when the security chief came out to him and whispered, "We may have a problem!" He explained that they had received a tip indicating there was to be an attack on the primary launch site for their space vehicles. Ted motioned for his brother, quietly explaining the situation to him.

The aircraft overhead were rerouted to the launch site, but otherwise the caravan remained intact. The two brothers decided to ride together in the command vehicle so that they could keep up with the status of the situation. Doctor Randolph's wife and daughter remained in the family SUV as they proceeded back to the hotel.

#

Julie and her mother had gone to the family vehicle when her dad came up to tell them he and Uncle Ted would be riding in the command car. The look in his eyes scared Julie a little as he went on to the other SUV, but as their convoy started moving and she turned toward her mother, the look she saw there terrified her.

"We don't have much time," her mom told her. "In a few moments, we are going to come under attack by those terrible men that work for the Organization. I have seen some of what is about to happen. Our vehicle will be the one they hit in the attack. I will do everything I can to protect you. I have also seen that you will have an unusual road to recovery that will take you over two years. When you come back, you will be better than ever and you will do great things." She pulled Julie into a tight hug and whispered in her ear, "I love you my darling daughter."

Julie at first could not believe what her mother was telling her. She didn't know what to say in answer. But she knew her mother sometimes had visions of future events, and whenever her mother said she saw something would happen, what she told them always seemed to come true.

About that time, the caravan was forced to reroute because of an overturned truck on the highway. As they made the turn off of the highway, suddenly several vehicles blocked the roadway and began to attack the convoy with automatic weapons. Sam and Ted were terrified and Sam doubly so, as his family was right there in the middle of the attack. All of their vehicles were bulletproof, so that the attack was initially ineffective, but by this time Julie was certain that what her mother had told her was true.
 

Julie's mom was still holding her tightly, and Julie turned her frightened eyes to look at her. "Oh, Mom. Are you sure this must be?"

Julie's mom just nodded and held her even tighter. She looked sad but not frightened. And she had a serenity about her. That helped Julie and she clung to her mother with tears in her eyes.

The security chief for the convoy had quickly gotten on the radio, calling for reinforcements and telling the helicopters to return at their top speed. Just as the reinforcements were arriving and the helicopters were nearly back, one of the terrorists fired a missile from a handheld launcher. The missile struck the family vehicle with Julie and her mother inside, lifting the vehicle into the air, causing it to smash into the side of a nearby building. Their goal accomplished, the terrorists abandoned their attack, fleeing into the night.

Julie felt the vehicle being lifted into the air and grabbed her violin case, holding it tightly. Just before they hit the building, her mother threw herself over the top of her and Julie felt her love once more.

#

Both occupants and the driver were rushed to the hospital. Ted and Sam were driven there in the command vehicle, both in total shock at what had happened. Sam was terrified for his wife and daughter. He had seen their vehicle, and he suspected the worst. They waited anxiously in the hospital emergency room until the doctor finally came out to see them.

"I'm sorry," he told them, turning to address Sam directly. "We have been unable to revive your wife. Her injuries were just too serious. Best we can figure, she threw her body over your daughter, protecting her from the worst of the injuries. She undoubtedly saved her life, at least for the moment. However, your daughter received severe head injuries, and she is in a deep coma. We don't know if she will ever wake up, although we do still see signs of brain activity, so we are holding out hope. We will keep a close watch on her, but right now there's not much else we can do."

Sam had gone very pale and his eyes were full of tears as the doctor related everything to him. Ted tried to comfort him and Sam was very grateful for his presence. But Sam knew that because of his brother's medical degree, he would have the knowledge to understand about Julie's injuries, so he told him, "Go with him and look at everything he has on Julie. You'll be able to understand it, and then you can come back and explain it to me."

Ted was very reluctant to leave him, but he loved his niece too and he saw the wisdom of it. "Ok," he said quietly, "Wait here and I will be back as soon as I can."

Sam was nearly overcome with his grief. But thinking about the days leading up to the attack, he knew that Anne had known something. She sometimes had visions of the future, and she had been very quiet about that lately. Now he knew that her tender touch from the days before had been her way of telling him good-bye. And throwing herself across Julie like that. He knew exactly what she had done. She had given herself up so that Julie would have a chance to live.
Oh my love, I know what you did. And you knew that I would do everything in my power to see that we find a treatment for Julie. And I will, no matter what it takes. I so vow!
 

But he knew there was more required.
And I will also do whatever it takes to destroy those responsible for doing this to you and Julie. Despite the way I know you would feel about me going after revenge, you know they have to be stopped, and I will see that it is done. I so vow!

When he uttered the second vow, he felt something lock into place. It was like a mantle had been placed on his shoulders, he had accepted it, and it had been acknowledged. Just for a moment, he felt the presence of his wife, giving him a sad smile. He felt her love settle on him, making the burden at least a little lighter.

When he returned, Ted pulled his brother close and told him, his distress obvious. "I will tell you the truth. None of the doctors expect that Julie will ever awaken. But I believe that somehow we will find a way to treat her and she will recover."

"I know, my brother. Tell me what you know about nanites."

Ted looked at his brother in surprise, but he immediately nodded. "As you know, nanites are tiny machines that can be programmed to do specific tasks within the human body. They look very promising for medical treatments, however, the technology even today is still in its very infancy. It will take a lot more study and there will be a lot we will have to figure out. It will take a long time."

Sam looked at his brother and Ted knew that look. "I don't care how long it takes or how much it costs. Our company has more resources than anyone else in the world, so if anyone can do it, we can find a way to make it work." His words had a final ring to them that Ted felt to his core.

Life would be changed for the two brothers from that moment on. Sam would work many hours a day toward finding a treatment for Julie, so much so that he virtually became a recluse and let his brother run the company. Ted helped him as much as he could, and was always there to comfort his brother. Sam also worked tirelessly toward his goal to get revenge on the Organization, and the ones who did this to his family. He used his company's many resources, both monetary and political, to work toward that end. He looked forward to the day when he would find success in both endeavors. The first one, the treatment for his daughter, was finally getting closer.

CHAPTER TWO

Miranda

Almost 2 years later

#

Due to the work in search of a treatment for his daughter, Doctor Sam Randolph had developed many new procedures to use in the treatment of head injuries. In a special wing of the hospital where his work was being spearheaded, a girl somewhere around the age of eighteen awakened from a coma. As she opened her eyes, the nurse assigned to her rushed excitedly into the room. She said quietly to the girl, "Wait, the doctor is on his way!"
 

A doctor dressed in a white coat quickly made it to her room, gently speaking to her, "I am Doctor Ted. Can you tell me how you are feeling?"

The girl was slow to respond and said, "My head hurts!" She struggled a moment and then said, "Where am I?"

Doctor Ted continued to speak softly. "You were injured in an automobile accident and you are in the hospital. You have been in a coma for nearly two years. Do you remember anything about what happened to you?"

The girl looked at him with some confusion, and still speaking somewhat slowly said, "I don't remember anything." Obviously confused, she frowned as she tried to find answers that just weren't there. "I don't even remember my name!" Her distress was plain to see.

After a brief hesitation, the doctor responded to her. His voice shook with his obvious sympathy. "Your name is Miranda Summerlin and you are my patient." He held a mirror up to her face so that she could see herself.
 

She saw a pretty, dark complexioned girl with her head wrapped in bandages. She had hazel green eyes and a pixie nose. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "I don't even remember what I look like. Not even the color of my hair." There was a tremble in her voice that to the doctor was heartbreaking.

"We are so very sorry we had to cut your beautiful black hair for your treatment," Doctor Ted told her softly, his gentle voice almost breaking. He set the mirror back down.