Project J (33 page)

Chapter 60:
 
Confirmation

The control room of the Machine was crowded.
 
Stryker and Fielding, Tamara and Jesus, were the only ones with seats, the dozen or so who had followed them were standing behind them.

“He would have awoken about two and a half days after pick up,” Fielding was saying, “based on what happened in our time.
 
That gives us a time to look, but where?
 
Where did they take his body?”

Tamara turned to Jesus to ask, “Do you know where they planned to take your body?”

He shook his head.
 
“It was not planned to have to take me anywhere.
 
They hoped to revive me where I was, in Joseph’s tomb.”

“Maybe, when they came back to remove the body, they realized that he was still alive even after their attempts to revive him failed,” suggested Juliette.
 
“So they took him somewhere else, not to another tomb, but someplace where they could try again to revive him.”

“That might be reasonable.
 
But where?
 
Dr. Myers, does the Bible help in this regard?”

“All four of the Gospels tell of Jesus appearing after the resurrection.
 
Matthew says he appeared to Mary Magdalene and ‘the other Mary’ and informed them to tell the disciples to go ahead to Galilee and he would meet them there.
 
Then, in Galilee, he gives them the commission to
‘
baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit’
.

“Then, in Luke, he appears to two disciples on a road but they do not recognize him.
 
He breaks bread with them, they recognize him, and he disappears.
 
Then he says that Jesus appeared to the eleven left and they thought he was a spirit.
 
They gave him ‘broiled fish, and of a honeycomb’ and he ate them to prove he was real.
 
Later, he blessed them and was lifted up into heaven.

“According to John, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, although she did not recognize him at first.
 
He then appeared to most of the disciples, and a week later to them again, including the doubting Thomas.

“Mark has him appearing to Mary Magdalene, then the eleven where he tells them to go out to all the world and preach the gospel.

“That’s about it.
 
But I’m not sure how this helps.”

“It doesn’t really,” Fielding agreed.
 
“But it does tell us in general that he appeared on the third day to at least Mary Magdalene.
 
Then, the following week to the disciples.
 
But where?
 
And exactly when?”

“Let’s take a look in Mary’s house, the one where we saw them go after the crucifixion.
 
No, wait!
 
Let’s go back to the tomb.
 
The Bible had him appearing there to Mary, at least.”

“Very well, Jacques, do that.”

“Joseph of Arimathea was a respected member of the Sanhedrin or council of the Jewish priests in the Temple.
 
He was also a believer in the coming Kingdom of God,” Myers explained to those who might not be familiar with that.
 
“Another member of the Council, Nicodemus, worked with him.
 
It had been their plan to drug Jesus so he appeared dead, and then later revive him.
 
Jesus,” he said, glancing to the man sitting next to him, “says that he did not want them doing that, because he believed God would raise him from the dead.”

Jesus, who had been following the conversation on his translator, nodded but said nothing.
 
He kept the translator up to his ear like a cell phone.

The outside of the tomb appeared.
 
It was dark, but a dim gray suggested the coming of dawn soon.
 
Nothing moved.
 
“This is the morning of the third day, Sunday,” Jacques said.
 
“Just before dawn.”
 
He touched the keyboard and the scene lightened quickly.
 
Suddenly there was a blur of motion and he froze the display, backed it up, and then started it forward in real time.

A woman came into the scene, followed by another, both carrying baskets.
 
They stopped when almost to the tomb’s entrance and stood there, looking at the large rock that had been covering the entrance.
 
It was pushed to one side.
 
The woman, one of whom was now recognizable as Mary Magdalene, looked at each other in puzzlement.
 
When Mary cautiously approached tomb entrance, a figure came out of it.
 
In the faint morning twilight, it was hard to make out who it was.
 
The figure stepped forward until he was standing directly before Mary.
 
It was a young man, dressed in a white robe.

“Jesus, who is that?” Myers asked.

“I do not know.
 
I think maybe one of Joseph’s servants.
 
Maybe.”

The young man said something to the women.
 
The woman behind Mary dropped her basket and covered her mouth with both hands.
 
Mary looked shocked but composed.
 
She said something and the man replied.
 
Then he pointed off in the direction the woman had come from.
 
Both of them turned and walked quickly away.

“He’s telling them to go and tell the disciples that Jesus has risen,” Myers said with a trace of awe.
 
“Just as the Bible stated.”

The young man waited, watching the women until they were out of sight, then he took off up the hillside.

“Well, that really doesn’t prove anything,” Fielding said.
 
“Except that it was not Jesus who appeared to the women.
 
Next we have meetings with a couple of disciples on a road, and the meeting with the whole group during the next week.”

“Luke states that the after the meeting on the road, those two went back to the others and told them what had happened.
 
Then Jesus appeared among them.
 
I would suggest that you consider looking in the same house and room where the Last Supper was held; Joseph of Arimathea’s house.”

Jacques began keying in instructions.

“I would make the time at about one week after the crucifixion.
 
Maybe five days to be on the safe side.
 
That would be the earliest that Jesus could possibly have been strong enough to meet with the eleven.
 
During that time, our efforts to save Jesus here were also saving him there.”

The screen cleared and a room came into focus.
 
It was large, and the walls were made of stone blocks with curtains.
 
There was a low table but it was pushed to one side and it was empty.
 
A collection of short sofas were also pushed to one side.
 
They were not long enough to lie down in but would allow the person to recline while eating a meal, much in the fashion of formal Roman dinners.
 
Jacques set the display into fast forward.
 
Occasionally a person would dash into the room and leave.
 
When it seemed that a group was forming, he slowed back to real time and they watched.
 
Several times that happened, once a formal meal where the table was brought forward and the sofas arranged around it.
 
But during these meals, Jesus did not make an appearance, and they continued on, speeding through periods of inactivity.

“It would be my guess that Jesus was in another room of that house,” Myers said.
 
“Assuming, of course, that the entanglement theory is correct and he was alive then.
 
I...”

He broke off because another group was forming.
 
Half a dozen men were standing around, talking while a couple of servants were arranging the table for a meal.
 
A few more men joined them and the servants were just beginning to set out food when a trio made their appearance from the left.
 
Two of them supported a third between them.
 
Their walk was slow as they made their way towards the table.
 
The men already present stood there, staring at the newcomers in varying degrees of surprise.
 
Or shock.

Myers heard a gasp from beside him and looked to Jesus to find an equally shocked expression on his face.

The third man, the one who needed support to walk, was Jesus!
 
But it was a pale, sick looking version of the healthy man seated with the scientists.
 
His wrists were wrapped in cloth and there were two small open wounds on his forehead.
 
In the Machine’s control room, Jesus’ hand went up to the now-faded scars on his forehead.

When they reached the table, the two eased him down to a couch where he leaned back.
 
The two men then stood behind him.
 
Jesus looked weak but his eyes remained open.
 
He had almost died, indeed would have, had it not been for modern medicine’s effect on his body projected backwards in time through entangled particles, but he was alert.
 
When he spoke apparently all could hear; it was not in a whisper.
 
In a condition that would have had most men flat on their backs in a hospital bed, his iron self-will gave him the strength to do what he felt he had to do.

“That is Joseph and Nicodemus, isn’t it?” Myers asked, pointing to the two behind the couch.

“It is,” said Jesus.
 
He then proceeded to name the disciples who stood before his image.
 
“Peter, John, Mark...”
 
Those in the room who understood Biblical history did not miss the fact that he named two Johns and two Judases.

“That is Judas Iscariot?” Myers asked him.

“Yes.”
 
Jesus turned from the screen to Myers.
 
“You told me he killed himself.”

“That is what the Bible says.”

“Then this Bible is wrong.”

Jesus turned back to the screen.
 
Several of the men came forward, kneeling before Jesus and talking with him.
 
Several kissed his hand.
 
This went on for a while, with no one certain what they were talking about.

“Frustrating as hell not to be able to hear,” Myers muttered.

After a while, Nicodemus gave Jesus a cup of wine and helped him hold it to drink.
 
Jesus seemed to be having trouble with his hands.
 
The current Jesus touched one wrist where, under the leather cuff, there were the scars of a vicious wound.

Maybe ten minutes later, Joseph stepped forward and put an end to the discussion.
 
He and Nicodemus gently lifted Jesus and helped him out of the room, leaving his disciples behind talking and gesturing animatedly.

“That’s enough, Jacques,” said Fielding.
 
The screen froze.
 
“Well, we know now.
 
Jesus did survive the crucifixion!”

“Yes,” Myers agreed, “but was it because of our intervention?”

Fielding looked aghast.
 
“You mean...”

“Maybe it was only our entangling his body with this Jesus that allowed him to survive the ordeal.
 
If we had not fetched Jesus and saved his life here, maybe that Jesus would have died and never been resurrected.”

Chapter 61:
 
God’s Plan?

After Stryker called for a meeting the next morning and adjourned this informal one, everyone left the building lost in their own thoughts.
 
Myers, Jesus and Tamara went back to Jesus’ apartment, all deep in thought.

As soon as they got there, Tamara asked, “Does this mean that Jesus here might die if the Jesus back then does?
 
What will happen to the original will also happen to this... to Jesus?”

“Very probably,” Myers said with a sigh.
 
“That’s what happened to that T-Rex.
 
The original was attacked and killed, and so was our copy.”
 
He shrugged, and added, “Of course, that works both ways.”

Jesus was sitting on his bed, looking down at the floor.
 
Slowly he looked up at them.
 
“You said I died.
 
Now you say I lived.
 
Why?”

Tamara tried to explain about quantum entanglement, but failed utterly.
 
It was just too weird.
 
Finally she told him it was a special kind of magic.
 
A good magic, not the evil kind.
 
She remembered Myers telling her that the Jews of that day believed most magic was done for evil purposes.
 
In fact, to be called a magician was very negative.

Myers finally put the issue to rest when he told Jesus, “You are Jesus.
 
That man in the past is Jesus.
 
The two of you are the same.
 
Yes, if he dies, so will you.
 
I am sorry.”

He was remembering, as was Tamara, just what a harsh and dangerous time and place Jesus had lived in.
 
In fact, if Jesus lived long enough, he would see a massive revolt against Roma started in 66 CE and end a few years later with the destruction of Jerusalem and slaughter of thousands of his people.

And that was not to mention the danger he faced if Pilate found out that he had been tricked and Jesus had escaped death.
 
Jesus and all his disciples would be hunted down and killed.

“So what do we do now?” Tamara asked.

“Do?
 
Why do anything?” Myers responded.
 
“We have no control over what happens back then.
 
And haven’t we messed things up enough?
 
I can’t believe our interfering has changed history.”

“Maybe it hasn’t.
 
The Gospels tell of his resurrection.
 
They did before and they do now.
 
What has changed?”

“I don’t know.
 
This is hard to get a grasp on.”

“Classic time travel paradox?” Tamara suggested.

“Right!
 
But... I just don’t know.
 
But what I do know is that I will suggest the Machine be shut off.
 
This is too dangerous.
 
The power to change history is just too dangerous to mess with.”

“Amen to that!” Tamara agreed.

For a while none spoke, still trying to make sense of things.

Jesus finally reached over and put his hand on Tamara’s.
 
“I am not mad.
 
Magic is always dangerous.
 
If I understand...
 
I would have died and never come here if you did not use that magic.”

“That is correct.”

“Then I thank you for my life.
 
There are many good things you have shown me.”

“We are glad we did, also,” Tamara told him, patting his hand gently.

* * * * *

“We’ve got to shut the Machine down!”

Fielding, once an advocate for increased use of the time machine, was adamant in his feeling.
 
“There is too much danger!”

“I agree.
 
But what will we tell the executives back in their ivory towers and the stockholders?”

They were seated in Stryker’s office.
 
The Project Director had just poured generous glasses of whiskey for them both.

“And the spooks!
 
What do we tell them!
 
Oh, Christ!
 
I just realized – there is absolutely no way we can tell them the truth!”

“And give them the ability to change the past – you got that right.”
 
Fielding took a deep swallow.
 
“Might as well kiss our world goodbye!”

Stryker choked on too big a drink and put the glass down.
 
“But what can we do?
 
We’ve had so much success with the Machine.
 
Think of all the history we’ve uncovered.
 
Of all the science we’ve corrected and expanded.
 
We can’t just say, sorry, we’re shutting it down, but we can’t tell you why.
 
They’d crucify us.”

Fielding glared at Stryker, but apparently the Director was not aware of the pun.

Several impractical suggestions and well into their second glasses of the strong drink, Fielding came out with, “Too bad the damned Machine didn’t explode the first time we used it.”

Stryker put down his glass and stared at Fielding for a long time.

“Maybe it will,” he finally said.

“Huh?”

“What would happen if the Machine here were destroyed?”

“They’d tell us to build another.”

“But what if we made it look as if the reason for the destruction was a basic flaw in the theory?”

“What basic flaw?
 
The damned theory works fine.”

“I don’t know.
 
I don’t make a good scientist when I’m drunk.”

Fielding was thinking out loud.
 
“Maybe...
 
No.
 
Or...
 
No again.
 
Damned!
 
There’s got to be something.”

“Double damn!” Stryker said with real conviction.
 
“We’re out of whiskey.”

* * * * *

Back in Jesus’ apartment, two of the three were saddened at the thought of the loss of all the potential the Machine represented.
 
The third, Jesus himself, was happy.
 
“I am happy that Judas did not kill himself.
 
He was a good friend.”

“What do you think will happen back then?” Myers asked him.
 
“Where will you go?
 
Back to Galilee?
 
Or stay in Jerusalem?”

“I do not know.
 
It is as I told you at first: I failed.
 
I was chosen by God to bring our people to a glorious new kingdom.
 
God would give back the land promised to us and we would live under his righteous rule.
 
But I failed.
 
I was not good enough, and God turned his back on me.”

“Maybe not,” Tamara told him.
 
“Maybe you succeeded in what God really wanted you to do.
 
Maybe he wanted a new kingdom on earth, but not just for Jews.
 
Maybe he wanted you to do exactly what you did.
 
You inspired a new religion!
 
One of peace and love.
 
One that has done a lot of good.”

She turned to Myers, who responded with the tiniest of shrugs.

“If that is what he wanted, then you succeeded.”

Jesus looked unconvinced.
 
“What of the words spoken to the prophets?
 
I was to do as the prophecies proclaimed and he would bring about his kingdom on the earth.
 
That was what had to be.
 
I wanted nothing else.”

Tamara felt sad inside.
 
Jesus apparently could not let go of the idea that he was the chosen one to bring forth the Kingdom of God.
 
And had failed.

“Well, I still believe that it is possible God arranged for you to be resurrected by having us do it for him,” she said.

Myers gave her a sharp look.

“God moves in mysterious ways,” she added.

Jesus still looked unconvinced.

“You can’t be serious?” asked Myers.

Tamara nodded uncertainly.
 
“I don’t know,” she admitted.
 
“I…
 
Look at what we do know.
 
We’ve established that when an animal is brought back, it may still be linked to what happens to the original in the past.
 
We’ve established that what happened to Jesus here, linked back to his body in the past.
 
But, your scientists say that they established beyond doubt that inanimate objects did not retain the link, and we’ve also established that whatever is happening to Jesus in the past
since we brought him here
isn’t having any effect on him in the present, otherwise, apart from anything else, he would know all about it.
 
His memories would
update
with the experiences he had in the past after we brought him here.
 
That’s not happening.
 
What does that tell us?”

“Just a quirk of quantum entanglement,” Myers replied promptly.
 
“Doesn’t it…?”
 
A strange look came into his eyes.”

“Yes?” asked Tamara.

“You’re not serious?”

“You’re the one with the degree in Biblical Studies,” Tamara pointed out.
 
“What does it tell you?

“You mean that there’s something in animals and humans that isn’t present in inanimate objects, something the Machine can’t transfer.”

“Not quite,” said Tamara.
 
“Or, at least, not as I see it.
 
But I’m not a scientist.”

“Go on,” Myers insisted.
 
“How do you see it?”

“All right,” Tamara said, with a quick glance at Jesus.
 
“As you said, there’s something in animals and humans that the Machine can’t transfer.
 
And, it’s something that can’t be measured in quarks or whatever other tiny particles the scientists talk about.
 
It can’t be entangled in the same way, because it’s not… well, I don’t know how to put it:
it’s not part of the physical world.
”

She looked at Jesus again, wondering if the translator was coping with what she was saying, and wondering whether it would make any sense to him even if it did.
 
To her surprise, he was smiling broadly.

“Of course,” he said.
 
“It is the soul.”

“I can’t believe….” Myers started, and then shook his head.
 
“No,” he said to Tamara.
 
“There’s a flaw in your logic.
 
If the Machine can’t transfer the part of the person, or animal, that is life itself, then neither Jesus nor any of the animals would be alive here.”

There was a long silence.
 
Jesus was the first to speak.

“She knows,” he said.
 
“Ask her to explain.
 
I cannot.”

Tamara sighed.
 
“So much has happened, and I’m really not sure of anything any more.
 
All right.
 
Put it this way.
 
If
whatever gives life is really not something physical – call it the soul, or whatever – then maybe, just maybe, there is only one soul for each living creature.
 
And yet, the Machine creates an identical physical body with everything the same as the original.
 
So, regardless of time and place, the soul, the
life
, must be in it, as it is in the original.
 
It cannot be split; it cannot be created; it must be shared…
 
And when either physical body is damaged in a way that comes close to the soul leaving it, the link extends back to the physical body as well as the soul, so…
 
Oh!
 
I’m talking rubbish, aren’t I?”